Britain agrees to extradite Julian Assange to US

London / Anatolia

A British court on Wednesday approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face charges of espionage.

The Westminster Magistrates’ Court of First Instance Judge Paul Goldspring handed down the verdict in a brief hearing in which Assange was seen by video link from Belmarsh prison, the Associated Press reported.

Assange’s supporters gathered outside the courtroom and called for his release.

Despite the WikiLeaks founder having legal means to appeal, the case is now scheduled to be taken to British Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Today’s ruling comes after the UK Supreme Court last March denied permission to appeal against a court ruling that Assange could be deported.

It is noteworthy that today’s decision does not address Assange’s legal options, which he has sought for years to avoid being prosecuted in the United States over allegations that WikiLeaks leaked a large number of classified documents for more than a decade.

Assange’s lawyers have four weeks to submit their applications to the British Home Secretary and can appeal to the Supreme Court.

17 The United States has asked British authorities to extradite Assange to life in prison on charges of spying and misusing a computer.

Assange allegedly helped Chelsea Manning, a US military intelligence analyst, to steal secret diplomatic cables and military files later leaked by WikiLeaks, endangering lives.

Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.

A British district court judge initially rejected a US extradition request, saying Assange would kill himself in harsh US prisons.

However, U.S. officials later assured that the WikiLeaks founder would not face harsh treatment, which his lawyers said would endanger his physical and mental health.

In December, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that said US promises were “sufficient to ensure that Assange is treated humanely.”

In March, the Supreme Court rejected Assange’s attempt to appeal the ruling.

The news published on the official page of the Anatolian Agency is a summary of a portion of the news provided to subscribers by the News Stream System (HAS). To subscribe to the agency, contact the following link.