Julian Assange has appealed to a London court against the British government’s decision that allowed his extradition to the United States, the BBC reported on Friday. The founder of WikiLeaks claims to a whistleblower that the charges against him are politically motivated.
In mid-June, Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an extradition order for Assange. Earlier, British courts in two cases agreed to extradite. Friday was the last day for him to decide whether or not to appeal Patel’s decision. A high court confirmed to the BBC that it had received an appeal from Assange.
authorities United States of America They demand the extradition of Assange in connection with WikiLeaks’ publication in 2010 and 2011 of thousands of classified documents relating to operations in the United States Afghanistan And Iraq, which – as the Americans say – puts the lives of many people at risk.
Julian AssangeDominic Lipinski / PA Wire / EPA / PAP
US prosecutors have charged 50-year-old Assange with 17 counts of espionage and one computer-related crime for a total of up to 175 years in prison, though US authorities have suggested a more likely sentence of 4-6 years.
Assange, who says the accusations are politically motivated, has been held at Belmarsh maximum security prison in London since 2019. Prior to that, he had been using embassy-provided shelter for seven years. Ecuador in the UK.
Main image source: Dominic Lipinski / PA Wire / EPA / PAP
