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British Court Rules Julian Assange, WikiLeaks Founder, Can Be Extradited to U.S. on Espionage Charges

Final decision rests with Britain’s hard-line Home Secretary, Priti Patel, but Assange lawyers vow to fight on.

A British court has formally approved a request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage charges in the United States. The decision by Westminster Magistrates Court means the final decision on Assange’s fate lies in the hands of Home Secretary Priti Patel. But Assange’s lawyers vowed to fight on, saying they would make “serious submissions” to the minister. According to The Guardian, Assange appeared in court via videolink from the high-security Belmarsh prison and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. Among Assange’s supporters gathered outside the court was the former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who told reporters Patel had a responsibility to stand up for free speech. Speaking of Assange, he said: “He has done no more than tell the world about military planning, military policies, and the horrors of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—and I think he deserves to be thanked.” Assange, who spent seven years holed up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, faces 17 charges under the U.S. Espionage Act in a case that would raise significant First Amendment issues.