Julian Assange Allowed To Move Forward With Appeal

(RepublicanView.org) – Wikileaks founder and whistleblower Julian Assange has been given the right to file an appeal against his extradition to the United States.

The decision was handed down on May 20 by London’s High Court. Justices in London said the US government failed to meet specific assurances regarding Assange’s free-speech rights. His appeal to avoid extradition will now proceed through the court systems.

Assange filed his appeal earlier in 2024, but the British High Court delayed hearings as they awaited assurances from President Joe Biden. Among them were confirmations that the US government would not seek the death penalty. They also wanted US officials to confirm that Assange will be able to rely on First Amendment protections and that he would not face undue bias during his inevitable trial.

Assange currently faces 17 counts related to espionage and computer hacking in the United States. He is also accused of working together with Bradley Manning, a former intelligence analyst for the US Army, to illegally take top secret documents. The US government claimed the release of those files put soldiers in harm’s way. He could face a 175 year sentence if he’s found guilty.

However, his legal team said the files released by Assange and his Wikileaks platform exposed activities in which the US federal government broke its own laws. That, his lawyers said, should enjoy full First Amendment protections. John Shipton, Assange’s father, pleaded back in 2020 with the American people to hold their government accountable to the Constitution in light of his son’s charges.

The Biden administration is also facing bipartisan pressure to drop all charges against Assange. That pressure became more intense after officials from Australia, where Assange is a citizen, visited the US earlier this year. They met with politicians and nonprofit organizations that fight to protect civil rights.

Assange now has a few months to build his legal defense to support the appeal. He will remain imprisoned in London during that time.