Julian Assange

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the US is approved by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.

He sought asylum in 2012 in the embassy, fearing US prosecution, and stayed there for seven years. "The UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr Assange," the Home Office added. The Supreme Court ruled in March that Mr Assange's case raised no legal questions over assurances the US had given to the UK about how he was likely to be treated. It said the courts found extradition would not be "incompatible with his human rights" and that while in the US "he will be treated appropriately". Mr Assange's legal team claimed classified documents published by Wikileaks, which related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, exposed US wrongdoing and were in the public interest. Mr Assange is wanted by the American authorities over documents leaked in 2010 and 2011, which the US says broke the law and endangered lives.

UK govt agreed to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US to face charges over alleged leak of classified documents related to wars in Iraq, ...

He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job,” she added. “This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy,” it said. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. “Today is not the end of the fight. Extradition requests are only sent to the Home Secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case,” the spokesperson said. Mr. Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal,” a UK Home Office spokesperson said.

The WikiLeaks founder will face 18 federal counts — whenever he's brought to a U.S. courthouse in Virginia. For now, he has at least one more avenue of ...

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The decision by Priti Patel, the home secretary, to extradite the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US ought to worry anyone who cares about journalism ...

Instead, Ms Patel has dealt a blow to press freedom and against the public, who have a right to know what their governments are doing in their name. It is not too late for the US to drop the charges. To keep track of him, the authorities could have insisted that he be electronically tagged and monitored. Her predecessor Theresa May halted the extradition proceedings of Gary McKinnon, who hacked the US Department of Defense. The UK could have decided that Mr Assange faces an unacceptably high risk of prolonged solitary confinement in a US maximum security prison. They revealed horrifying abuses by the US and other governments that would not otherwise have been disclosed. He faces up to 175 years in jail if found guilty by a US court.

The British Home Secretary Priti Patel has signed an order to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the UK to the United States.

The Conservative MP and former Brexit secretary said on Twitter: "Sadly I do not believe Mr Assange will get a fair trial. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job. Mr Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal. "The path to Julian's freedom is long and tortuous. Mr Assange can launch an appeal at London's High Court, which must give its approval for a challenge to proceed. "We're going to fight this.

UK's Home Secretary Priti Patel signs order to extradite WikiLeaks co-founder to US - Anadolu Agency.

Then-US President Barrack Obama's administration reacted to the leaks, describing them as a national security threat. The British police said he was arrested for skipping his bail in 2012 and on behalf of the US due to an extradition warrant. He also faced sexual assault charges in Sweden and was arrested in London in December 2010.

The British home secretary signed an order on Friday to approve the extradition.

It will drive him to take his own life. He couldn’t sleep, but Julian is a fighter.” He has reasons to fight while he’s here. Their revenge is to try to disappear him into the darkest recesses of their prison system for the rest of his life to deter others from holding governments to account. We will use every avenue to appeal this decision. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job. A WikiLeaks spokesman said: “This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy. Julian’s freedom is coupled to all our freedoms. “We will not let that happen. Today is not the end of the fight. Extradition requests are only sent to the home secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case. Mr Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal.