LONDON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- What is the prospect of Assange's refusal to extradite ruling?
Xinhua News Agency reporter Du Juan Xu Feng.
The British High Court held hearings on the 20th and 21st to hear the appeal case of Julian Assange, the founder of "WikiLeaks"**, who refused to be extradited to the United States. The judge did not make a ruling that day, saying that it would be announced at a later date. When will the UK High Court make its decision? How tortuous is the litigation process? What are the repercussions of Assange's extradition case?
When the court ruling is made.
The Associated Press reported that the ruling is expected as early as March. During the two-day court hearing, Assange's legal team applied to review then British Home Secretary Patel's 2022 decision to approve Assange's extradition to the United States and challenge the 2021 High Court ruling. They stressed that the US authorities seek to punish Assange for exposing the atrocities of the US** and that Assange could suffer a miscarriage of justice if sent to the US. Lawyers representing the United States** argue that Assange's leaked documents have harmed U.S. security and intelligence services.
Ian Scott, a professor at the University of Manchester, said in an interview with Xinhua that this could be the last battle Assange and his legal team have against the extradition process as far as the UK legal process is concerned.
According to the UK**, if the High Court ultimately rules against Assange, it could lead to the opening of extradition proceedings. If the High Court rules in his favour, Assange will have more chances of appealing in the UK.
Assange's team of lawyers said they would seek the intervention of the European Court of Human Rights if the ruling was unfavourable. But Assange's supporters fear that he could be put on a plane to the United States before the European Court of Human Rights intervenes to block the extradition, as the United Kingdom** has signed an extradition order.
How tortuous is the litigation process?
Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006 and in 2010, WikiLeaks uncovered the war crimes of the U.S. military by exposing a large number of U.S. diplomatic cables and classified U.S. military documents during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Assange was immediately caught in a lawsuit, with the United States charging him with 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer misuse. In 2019, Assange was in the UK** and was sentenced to prison. After that, the United States demanded the extradition of Assange.
In January 2021, a British district court ruled denying an extradition request from the United States, citing Assange's mental illness such as depression and his high risk of suicide if extradited to the United States. In December 2021, the UK High Court ruled to allow the US** to extradite Assange, while transferring the case to the Magistrate's Court for follow-up proceedings. In April 2022, the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London issued an extradition order, formally approving Assange's extradition to the United States. In June 2022, then-Home Secretary Patel approved Assange's extradition to the United States. Assange, for his part, later appealed to overturn the extradition decision.
Assange, 52, has been detained since 2019 at Belmarsh Prison, the UK's highest-security prison in London. Previously, he hid for seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy in the United Kingdom.
Assange was absent from the two-day trial and did not attend via wire. Assange's wife, Stella, said Assange had wanted to attend the hearing but was "not in good health". She previously said her husband's health was "deteriorating" and that "if extradited, he would die."
What are the repercussions of the extradition case?
Outside the High Court in central London, a large number of demonstrators have gathered since the early morning of the 20th. They chanted slogans such as "release Assange" and "no extradition", exposing the "political motives" behind Assange's case.
Edward Green, who had travelled from Birmingham, told Xinhua that Assange's extradition to the United States would set a "terrible precedent". Aya Sikamore, a young man holding a hand-painted slogan, said Assange "didn't do anything wrong, he shouldn't be in jail, he should be free." On the 21st, a large number of demonstrators still gathered outside the courthouse in support of Assange in the rain.
In Paris, France, hundreds of people gathered at the Place de la République on the evening of the 20th to call for Assange's release. Other French cities, such as Bordeaux and Toulouse, also held rallies on the same day.
Assange is Australian. Australia** has repeatedly expressed concerns about the Assange case and has made representations to the United States and the United Kingdom. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said that the continued detention of Assange will not do the United States "any benefit" and that he is frustrated that the United States continues to seek his extradition. The House of Representatives of the Australian Federal Parliament passed a motion last week calling on the United States and the United Kingdom to end the Assange case and allow Assange to return to his home in Australia. Australian Rep. Andrew Wilkie said the motion sent a clear message to the UK and the US** that the legal battle had "been going on long enough" and that it was time to end.
*:Xinhua.