Because the UK Excessive Courtroom takes one other take a look at Julian Assange’s extradition case, the WikiLeaks founder finds himself at a crossroads. If the pair of judges overseeing his present software agree together with his legal professionals’ arguments, he’ll be allowed to proceed his authorized battle within the UK.
If the legal professionals fail to persuade the judges, his solely recourse will probably be an attraction to the European Courtroom of Human Rights. Assange’s spouse Stella Assange informed the BBC’s Immediately radio program the authorized crew must make that attraction inside 24 hours of the courtroom’s choice.
“This case will decide if he lives or dies, primarily,” she mentioned.
Wednesday evening, Australian time, will mark the start of the second and ultimate day of arguments within the Excessive Courtroom listening to. Judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson are reviewing an earlier ruling that refused Assange permission to attraction his extradition to the US.
When Assange’s lawyer Ed Fitzgerald launched his arguments for why his consumer ought to be allowed to attraction, he started by saying Assange was being “prosecuted for political offences”.
“The prosecution is politically motivated. Mr Assange was exposing severe criminality. He’s being prosecuted for partaking in [the] abnormal journalistic observe of acquiring and publishing categorized info, info that’s each true and of apparent and necessary public curiosity,” Fitzgerald mentioned in accordance with the BBC.
Because the BBC’s authorized correspondent identified, nevertheless, the crew doesn’t have to persuade the judges these claims are true, they solely have to persuade the courtroom Assange’s case is worthy of re-examination.
To that finish, the authorized crew made a variety of explosive claims, together with that the US authorities had “developed a plan to attempt to both kill or rendition Mr Assange to the USA”.
Fitzgerald mentioned there was “particular proof” to help that, and added: “There’s a actual danger of additional extrajudicial actions towards him by the CIA or different companies”.
One other of Assange’s legal professionals, Mark Summers, mentioned the alleged plot was hatched throughout the Donald Trump presidency, whereas the WikiLeaks founder was hiding from authorities within the Ecuadorean embassy in London.
The courtroom additionally heard allegations of a CIA plot to spy on Assange had been nonetheless being investigated by a Spanish courtroom.
In 2022, when Crikey interviewed one other of Assange’s legal professionals, Australian barrister Jennifer Robinson, she mentioned a bunch of legal professionals and journalists had filed a lawsuit towards the CIA in a Spanish courtroom, alleging the spy service violated their constitutional rights by copying materials from their telephones after they visited Assange in 2017 and 2018.
Robinson, too, had been a sufferer of cellphone spying, she informed Crikey on the time: “I’ve taken my very own case towards the British authorities for spying on me, which was resolved efficiently with a pleasant settlement the place the UK admitted my rights had been violated.”
European Courtroom of Human Rights paperwork confirmed Robinson was awarded €1000 for prices and bills in relation to her go well with towards the UK.
When the UK Excessive Courtroom returns in a single day, it’s going to hear from legal professionals for the US authorities, who’re anticipated to attempt to punch holes in Assange’s crew’s arguments.
In response to the Related Press, the US authorized crew mentioned in written submissions that Assange’s actions throughout his work for WikiLeaks “threatened injury to the strategic and nationwide safety pursuits of the USA” and put folks named within the leaked paperwork liable to “severe bodily hurt”.
Assange was permitted to attend the primary day in particular person, however the courtroom heard he was too unwell to take action.
Forward of this week’s listening to, Assange’s father John Shipton informed Crikey the household nonetheless had hope the courtroom would aspect with Assange: “Legal professionals say Julian’s arguments are sturdy, and odds are if arguments are given their due weight and UK regulation is honoured, an appeals listening to will probably be allowed.”