U.S. authorities want to prosecute him for “espionage” for leaking 700,000 classified and secret diplomatic and military documents, most notably about the US-led war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
London, Thanasis Gavos
The British government approved today the American request for the extradition of Julian Assangewho faces US conspiracy to divulge classified information related to national security.
As it became known, the competent Minister of Interior Priti Patel signed today issuance order.
The founder of WikiLeaks has 14 days to appeal.
His lawyers said the appeal would be filed. «Today is not the end of the battle. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. We will appeal through the legal system. But it’s a dark day for the free press and for British democracy“, He stated the WikiLeaks website on Twitter.
The American authorities want to try him for “espionage” due to the release of 700,000 confidential and secret US diplomatic and military documents, mainly about the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If convicted, he runs risk of being sentenced to 175 years in prison.
It is noted that Assange is being held in Britain Belmarsh High Security Prisons from 2019, after years of residence inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Its release in the USA was originally banned by a British judge for mental health reasonsbut the ban was overturned to a greater degree.
