WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is at risk of being sentenced to 175 years in prison in the US after he is accused of massively leaking confidential and classified documents.
The founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange appealed today against the British government’s decision to extradite him to USAas it became known from the High Court of London.
The 50-year-old Australian faces up to 175 years in prison in the US after being accused of leaking confidential and classified documents on a massive scale.
After a long legal battle, British Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an order to extradite him to the US on June 17.
Assange, who has been held for three years at Belmars maximum security prison near London, had until today to appeal the decision.
Judicial authorities confirmed they had received “notification from Julian Assange” that he will appeal the minister’s decision.
Earlier today, on the occasion of Assange’s birthday (he will turn 51 on Sunday), a few dozen supporters of him and his wife, Stella Assange, gathered outside the Home Office to protest the decision to extradite him to the US. They then boarded an old London bus and rode through the city centre, chanting “Free Julian Assange now”.
“He’s in jail for telling the truth. He is innocent, so why is he in prison?’ asked Gloria Wildman, a 79-year-old retiree who often attends rallies in support of Assange. “If Assange is not freed, neither will we be freed, no one will be freed,” he added.
If Assange’s request is granted, the hearing could be delayed until early 2023, according to a Bindmans lawyer who specializes in such cases. Assange could also appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, a process that could take years.
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