Julian Assange lands new appeal against his extradition to the United States

Julian Assange won Monday a victory in his long legal battle against his extradition: British justice granted a new appeal to the founder of Wikileaks, whom the United States wants to try for a massive leak of documents.

This hearing in London was crucial after five years of a fight erected as a symbol of the fight for freedom of information by Julian Assange's supporters. Relatives of the 52-year-old Australian, once again absent for health reasons, had warned that he risked being quickly extradited if his appeal request failed.

His lawyers hugged each other when the judges announced they were accepting a new appeal.

“This day marks a turning point,” Julian Assange’s wife, Stella, rejoiced in court.

He is “relieved” after a sleepless night, she said, denouncing an affair which represents “an offense to our democratic values, to our right to know “.

“Free Assange,” chanted Stella Assange, echoed by the supporters who came in large numbers in front of the court. Several challenged US President Joe Biden with the slogan “Let him go, Joe” written on flags.

– Capital punishment –

Prosecuted for having made public from 2010 more than 700,000 confidential documents on American military and diplomatic activities, in particular in Iraq and Afghanistan, the founder of WikiLeaks faces charges in the United States up to 175 years in prison.

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian Assane, addresses her supporters outside the British High Court of Justice, May 20, 2024 in London © AFP – BENJAMIN CREMEL

Among these documents is a video showing civilians, including two Reuters journalists, killed by fire from an American combat helicopter in Iraq in July 2007.

After multiple legal twists and turns, two judges of the High Court of London, Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson, asked the United States at the end of March for new guarantees on the treatment that would be reserved in this country for Julian Assange.

The judges on Monday heard the parties debate the response of the American authorities.

Julian Assange's defense accepted the United States' “unambiguous” promise that the Australian would not be “charged with a punishable offense” of death.

The debates therefore mainly focused on the first amendment of the American Constitution, which protects freedom of expression, and the possibility for Julian Assange to benefit from it in the event of extradition.

A portrait of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, in front of the British High Court of Justice, May 20, 2024 in London © AFP – BENJAMIN CREMEL

Julian Assange's lawyer Edward Fitzgerald expressed concern that there was “no guarantee” that the amendment would apply to his client, as he was not American: “There is a real risk of discrimination.”

James Lewis, the lawyer representing the United States government, said that if extradited, Julian Assange would be “entitled to the full range of rights of defense, including the right to invoke and seek to invoke the First Amendment as a defense.

But the guarantees put forward by the United States did not succeed in convincing the British judges.

– “Good direction” –

“Even if it is a political matter, (…) our judicial system has today taken a step in the right direction,” said Rebecca Vincent of Reporters Without Borders. She hopes that this decision will push Washington “to reflect”.

Supporters of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, demonstrate in front of the British High Court of Justice, May 20, 2024 in London © AFP – HENRY NICHOLLS

Amnesty International welcomed “rare positive information for Julian Assange and all defenders of press freedom”, calling on Washington to end “this shameful saga by dropping all charges” against Julian Assange .

The founder of WikiLeaks was arrested by British police in April 2019 after seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, in order to avoid extradition to Sweden in a rape investigation, dismissed the same year.

Since then, calls have increased for US President Joe Biden to drop the charges against him. Australia made an official request to this effect at the beginning of 2024, which the American president said he would examine, raising hope among his supporters.

In January 2021, the British justice initially ruled in favor of the WikiLeaks founder, citing a risk of suicide if he were extradited. But this decision was later overturned.

“Today, it's a victory, but not the final victory,” Gerard Daly told AFP, a 59-year-old British man, who came to support Julian Assange in court. “I will be happy when he is free.”

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