Julian Assange Faces Final Extraction Ruling Over Wikileaks

Julian Assange’s legal team initiated their final appeal to a U.K. court on Tuesday, contesting the extradition plans to send the WikiLeaks founder to the U.S. to face espionage charges stemming from leaked government secrets published on his website.

Assange, imprisoned in London for nearly five years, utilized WikiLeaks to disclose a vast array of confidential documents and materials, including those related to warfare and espionage, asserting that the public had a legitimate right and necessity to access such information.

The 52-year-old Australian journalist and activist has been contesting the American extradition request for over a decade. On Tuesday, his legal representatives embarked on the last-ditch legal recourse available within the British judicial system. They petitioned two judges of the London High Court to authorize Assange a fresh appeal hearing against the British government’s 2022 determination permitting his lawful extradition to the U.S.

Assange’s wife, Stella, entered the court on Tuesday amidst a sizable gathering of supporters advocating for her husband’s immediate release.

At the commencement of the hearing, Ed Fitzgerald, one of Assange’s attorneys, informed the court that the WikiLeaks founder was absent from the proceedings due to feeling unwell. One of the judges clarified that Assange had been invited to participate, either in person or via video link. Fitzgerald did not provide further details on Assange’s health.

Granting Assange the opportunity to launch a new appeal would afford him the chance to petition the European Court of Human Rights to halt the extradition process. However, if the appeal is dismissed — and potentially even if the court rules in his favor — Assange is likely to face extradition to the U.S., as the extradition order was signed approximately a year and a half ago.