A London court is set to deliver a crucial judgment on whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be granted one last appeal in England to challenge his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. The decision, expected to be announced on Tuesday morning in the High Court, could potentially bring an end to Assange's protracted legal battle or prolong it further.
If Assange is denied the right to appeal, there are concerns that he may be swiftly extradited to the U.S. to face the charges. However, his legal team is prepared to seek intervention from the European Court of Human Rights to prevent any such transfer.
Assange, aged 52, faces 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse related to the publication of classified U.S. documents by his website nearly 15 years ago. U.S. prosecutors allege that Assange collaborated with U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to obtain and disclose diplomatic cables and military files.
During a recent two-day hearing, Assange's lawyers argued that he acted as a journalist exposing U.S. military misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan. They contend that sending him to the U.S. would subject him to a politically motivated trial and jeopardize the fairness of the legal process.
The U.S. government, however, maintains that Assange's actions exceeded the boundaries of journalistic practices, endangering lives by soliciting, stealing, and indiscriminately disseminating classified government information.
Assange, an Australian computer expert, has been incarcerated in a high-security British prison for the past five years. His family and supporters have raised concerns about his deteriorating physical and mental health after enduring over a decade of legal battles, including seeking asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London from 2012 to 2019.
Stella Assange, who married the WikiLeaks founder while he was in prison in 2022, emphasized the belief that Julian is a political prisoner who deserves release. Assange's legal team has warned that if convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 175 years, although U.S. authorities suggest that the actual term would likely be shorter.
