Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 21
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was given permission yesterday to appeal against extradition to the United States after arguing at London’s High Court that he might not be able to rely on his right to free speech in a US court.
The Australian-born Assange, 52, is wanted in the US on 18 charges, nearly all under the Espionage Act, relating to WikiLeaks’ mass release of secret US documents – the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history.
The High Court had in March granted him provisional permission to appeal on grounds that he might be discriminated against as a foreign national, but invited the US to submit assurances.
After Monday’s hearing, two senior judges said Assange’s argument that he might not be able to rely on the US First Amendment right to free speech deserved a full appeal – which is unlikely to be held for months.
The news prompted cheering and singing from hundreds of supporters who had massed outside the court tying yellow ribbons to the iron railings, holding placards and chanting “Free, free Julian Assange!”.
Assange himself was not present, which his lawyer said was for health reasons. The US Justice Department declined to comment on a pending judicial matter.
Had yesterday’s ruling gone against him, Assange’s team said he could have been on a plane to the US within 24 hours, ending more than 13 years of legal battles in Britain.
Source: Reuters
