Julian Assange's fate hangs in the balance as he awaits a decision on his extradition to the United States. After years of legal battles, the UK High Court is set to determine his fate on March 26, 2024.
The High Court has delayed the appeal hearing to May 20, giving the US government three weeks to provide assurances regarding Assange's rights.
Specifically, they are seeking guarantees that he will be able to exercise his freedom of speech under the First Amendment and will not face discrimination based on his Australian nationality.
Despite arguments that Assange is being prosecuted for his political beliefs, the Court has rejected this notion. However, the decision has granted him temporary relief from immediate extradition.
The Case Against Julian Assange
Julian Assange, a 52-year-old Australian computer expert, faces 18 charges in the US related to the publication of classified documents by Wikileaks in 2010. These charges include 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer misuse.
If convicted, Assange could potentially face a sentence of up to 175 years.
His defense argues that he was acting as a journalist to reveal misconduct in the military and should be protected under press freedom laws.
Julian Assange's Background
Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, founded Wikileaks in 2006. Through Wikileaks, he exposed internal documents from government and corporate sources, including sensitive information from US Army Intelligence regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
However, his actions were seen as a threat to US National security, leading to him being targeted and labeled as a terrorist. Assange has faced multiple charges and periods of house arrest as a result.
Currently held in Belmarsh prison in London at the request of US authorities, Assange was spared from immediate extradition in 2021 due to concerns about his mental health and risk of suicide.
English (US)