UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange to the United States over leaked classified military documents.
Assange is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks’ release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which they said had put lives in danger.
Wikileaks said Assange, 50, would appeal his extradition from Britain to the United States. He has 14 days to launch an appeal at London’s High Court. From there he can also appeal to the UK’s Supreme Court but if his case is quashed then he must be extradited within 28 days.
“Today is not the end of the fight. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. We will appeal through the legal system,” a statement posted on the Wikileaks Twitter accounts said.
Assange has been in a southeast London jail since 2019, and before that was holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in the British capital for seven years.
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Assange’s wife Stella said: “This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy.
“Today is not the end of the fight. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle.”
His supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised because he exposed US wrongdoing in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that his prosecution is a politically-motivated assault on journalism and free speech.
Originally, a British judge ruled that Assange should not be deported, saying his mental health problems meant he would be at risk of suicide if convicted and held in a maximum security prison.
But this was overturned on an appeal after the United States gave a package of assurances, including a pledge he could be transferred to Australia to serve any sentence.
A Home Office statement said: “Under the Extradition Act 2003, the Secretary of State must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made. Extradition requests are only sent to the Home Secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case.
“On 17 June, following consideration by both the Magistrates Court and High Court, the extradition of Mr Julian Assange to the US was ordered. Mr Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal.
“In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr Assange. Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health.”
Additional reporting by agencies