WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is one step closer to being extradited to the United States, where he is due to stand trial under the Espionage Act, after a London court sent his extradition order to the British government for approval.
The court issued a formal extradition order at a hearing on Wednesday, leaving it to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel to stamp his transfer to the US after a years-long legal dispute.
Assange can still appeal the decision.
He is wanted in the US on 18 criminal charges after WikiLeaks published thousands of confidential files and diplomatic cables in 2010. If convicted, Assange faces up to 175 years in prison.
Assange attended the hearing virtually from the high-security Belmarsh prison in London, where he has been detained since being removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London three years ago. At the session, he stated his full name and date of birth.
His extradition has been the subject of numerous court dates since his arrest, which came after Assange sought diplomatic refuge at the embassy for seven years.
In January 2021, a ruling by the magistrates’ court ruled that Assange could not be extradited as it would be “oppressive” given his mental health.
But the Supreme Court overturned that decision in December, saying Assange could be extradited to the US based on assurances given by the US government about his treatment there.
These guarantees included promises that Assange would not be subject to “special administrative measures” nor would he be held in a maximum security prison before or after the trial.
Assange got married last month to his longtime partner Stella Moris inside Belmarsh Prison.
* Claudia Rebaza, Rob Iddiols and Tara John of CNN contributed to this report
Source: CNN Brasil
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