Hearing started

Assange fights extradition one last time

Supporters of Julian Assange outside the court in London

(Bild: AP)

A court in London has been hearing the extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the USA since Tuesday. If the appeal is not granted, the legal process in the UK would be exhausted (see video above).

The US Department of Justice wants to try him on espionage charges. If Assange is convicted, he could face up to 175 years in prison. The two-day hearing began at 11.30 a.m. (CET) on Thursday. The defendant himself did not attend the hearing in person as he felt unwell, according to his lawyer.

Supporters of Julian Assange outside the court in London

(Bild: AP)

Supporters of Assange demonstrated outside the London court early in the morning. They waved placards reading "Freedom for Julian Assange" and shouted in chants: "There is only one decision: no extradition." Hundreds of golden ribbons were attached to the fence in front of the High Court and surrounding gates and trees.

Stella Assange

(Bild: AP)

Julian Assange

(Bild: Frank Augstein)

Demonstrators outside the London court demand freedom for Assange.

(Bild: AP)

The hearing began at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday and will continue until Wednesday.

(Bild: AP)

Demonstration in Vienna
On Tuesday afternoon, there will also be a demonstration in Vienna under the slogan "Release Julian Assange" and for freedom of the press and freedom of expression. If the appeal is not granted, the 52-year-old will only have recourse to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Julian Assange's wife Stella announced that his team would immediately apply for a temporary injunction to prevent his immediate extradition. However, the British government could ignore such an order.

Here is a brief chronology of the case.

It was not initially clear when exactly a decision would be made. Stella Assange fears that her husband could be put on a plane to the USA within days. More difficult prison conditions such as solitary confinement would await him there. 

The legal tug-of-war over the Australian has been going on for years. The US government accuses him of stealing and publishing secret material from US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan together with whistleblower Chelsea Manning, thereby endangering the lives of US whistleblowers.

Supporters, on the other hand, see Assange as a journalist who has brought war crimes to light. Lawyer Edward Fitzgerald also spoke of a "common journalistic practice." Since his arrest in April 2019, Assange has been held in London's Belmarsh high-security prison.