Kiev. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – January 6, 2021 – International News
A London court has denied WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange bail. Assange’s lawyers argued in court that he would not be able to escape pending an extradition decision in the United States, but U.S. government lawyers told the court that “there are no conditions that could guarantee his extradition” if Assange is released from custody.
“I am convinced that there is good reason to believe that if Assange is released today, he will not be able to appear in court to hear the appeal,” said Judge Vanessa Bareitzer.
Crowds of supporters of the founder of WikiLeaks gathered near the court building in anticipation of the decision.
A London court on Monday blocked Assange’s extradition to the United States. Judges said that in case of transfer, he is at high risk of suicide.
In February in Britain began hearings on the extradition of Assange to the United States. Assange, 49, is wanted in the United States on 18 charges, including espionage. He faces up to 175 years in prison if convicted.
Following Assange’s arrest in April 2019, his lawyers and supporters oppose extradition to the United States. According to them, justice in the United States will not be fair.
In 2010, for example, the WikiLeaks project began publishing thousands of classified US military documents related to the armed conflict in the Middle East.
In 2012, Julian Assange hid at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden on rape charges. Assange himself denied the charges, and in November 2019, the Swedish prosecutor’s office closed the case. Prior to that, the Ecuadorian authorities deprived Assange of asylum and handed him over to the British authorities.