FPJ Legal: UK Supreme Court grants appeal to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to fight extradition to US

FPJ Legal: UK Supreme Court grants appeal to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to fight extradition to US

He has been behind bars because he is seen as a flight risk, having previously skipped bail in 2012 over claims he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.

PTIUpdated: Monday, January 24, 2022, 11:31 PM IST
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange | Photo: Twitter Image

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange was on Monday granted permission from the Supreme Court to appeal against his extradition order to the US.

The 50-year-old is wanted in America over the leak of thousands of classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His lawyers argued that he should not be taken to the US because of a real and "oppressive" risk of suicide.

Last month, the US authorities won an appeal against a previous court ruling that he could not be extradited due to concerns over his mental health.

US authorities later provided assurances that the WikiLeaks founder would not face the severely restrictive conditions that his lawyers said would put his physical and mental health at risk.

The High Court overturned the lower court's decision in December, noting American "solemn undertakings" were enough to guarantee Assange would be treated humanely.

Now, Assange has secured the right to seek an appeal against that ruling in the Supreme Court based on a point of law that is of "general public importance", which could potentially have a far-reaching impact of setting a fresh precedent in extradition cases.

If he had failed to meet the extremely high bar to be allowed the appeal, Assange's case would have gone directly to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel for a final decision on extradition.

Assange's lawyers challenged US assurances that he would not be held in punishing isolation at a federal supermax prison, and would receive appropriate care.

His supporters have long argued that his physical and mental health has been affected by being held on remand at a high-security prison in southeast London.

He has been behind bars because he is seen as a flight risk, having previously skipped bail in 2012 over claims he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.

He spent seven years at Ecuador's embassy in London.

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