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HomeLegal NewsJulian Assange’s extradition from UK to US approved by home secretary

Julian Assange’s extradition from UK to US approved by home secretary

Helen Greaney
By Helen Greaney

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is appealing his extradition to the United States after the UK home secretary approved sending him there for trial.

He is wanted by the American authorities on 18 counts regarding documents leaked in 2010 and 2011 relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, which the US says broke the law and endangered lives.

The Australian has 14 days to appeal over the decision, the Home Office said.

He’s currently being held at London’s Belmarsh prison after mounting a lengthy battle to avoid being extradited.

Extradition allows one country to ask another to hand over a suspect to face trial.

District judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled last year that Assange should not be sent to the US as his mental health was ‘such that it would be oppressive to extradite him’.

But the High Court found that assurances given to the UK government about the conditions in which Assange would be held were sufficient to meet the concerns which led to the district judge’s decision.

Wikileaks said it is ‘a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy’ and that Assange will appeal to the High Court.

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