Court rules Julian Assange can appeal US extradition

The High Court in London has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can proceed with a final appeal against his extradition to the United States.

Assange’s legal team contended that judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson should not trust the assurances from US prosecutors that Assange would be able to invoke the rights and protections of the US First Amendment.

They also argued that Assange could face discrimination due to his nationality, being an Australian-born foreign national.

In their brief ruling, the judges found the US submissions insufficient and granted Assange permission for a full appeal concerning the issues of freedom of speech and nationality.

A date for the full appeal has yet to be scheduled.

Assange is sought by US authorities on espionage charges related to WikiLeaks’ release of thousands of classified documents and diplomatic cables in 2010 and 2011. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

In March, the court postponed its decision on extradition while awaiting a series of assurances from the US, including a commitment not to seek the death penalty for the 52-year-old Australian.

It has been 12 years since Assange last lived freely. He has spent the past five years in London’s high-security Belmarsh prison and nearly seven years prior to that in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, attempting to avoid arrest. Assange insists that his extradition is politically motivated.