WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s life “is in danger” if his ultimate enchantment towards his extradition to america fails, his lawyer says.
Assange is needed in america over an alleged conspiracy to acquire and disclose nationwide defence data following the publication of a whole lot of 1000’s of leaked paperwork referring to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
He denies any wrongdoing.
The 52-year-old has spent the previous 4 years in Belmarsh jail in London, the place he has been since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019, as he fights US makes an attempt to extradite him.
“On account of the 13 years he’s been successfully in jail or beneath home arrest or some type of restrictions on his liberty contained in the Ecuadorian embassy, he’s actually unwell,” Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson informed ABC TV.
“Due to the therapy he has suffered, he suffers a serious depressive sickness, he has been identified as being on the spectrum, and the medical proof is that if he was extradited to america these situations would trigger him to commit suicide.
“So his life is in danger and I’m not exaggerating that.”
In a January 2021 ruling, then-district decide Vanessa Baraitser mentioned Assange shouldn’t be despatched to the US, citing an actual and “oppressive” threat of suicide, whereas ruling towards the 51-year-old on all different points.
However US authorities subsequently introduced a profitable Excessive Court docket problem towards this determination, paving the best way for Assange’s extradition.
In June final 12 months, Assange misplaced his enchantment towards a decide’s ruling over whether or not he ought to be extradited however he’ll make his ultimate enchantment within the UK Excessive Court docket in February.
“Now we have our ultimate enchantment towards his extradition arising in February and if we fail, if we’re not given permission to enchantment, that’s the finish of the highway within the UK and he can be extradited,” worldwide human rights lawyer Robinson mentioned.
“We hope that the European Court docket of Human Rights will step in.
“We’ll make an utility to the European court docket to attempt to cease [his extradition] however that’s not assured.”
There have been a number of protests within the UK in 2023 in assist of Assange, together with from former British ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray, who mentioned campaigners “won’t ever cease preventing” for Assange’s freedom.
Assange’s spouse Stella mentioned in 2023 that “the stakes are very excessive”.
“They’re excessive on all sides, not only for Julian’s life and his freedom, however all of the press freedoms and the liberty of speech rights that go along with him,” she mentioned.
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