Legal Setback : High Court In London Rules, WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Can Be Extradited To The US

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WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange can be extradited from the UK to the US, the High Court in London ruled on Friday, overturning a lower court decision that he could not be sent to America due to concerns over his mental health.

Assange, 50, is wanted in the US over the publication of thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010 and 2011.

Friday’s ruling means the US authorities won their appeal against a January UK court ruling that the Australian national could not be extradited due to concerns over his mental health after the court was felt reassured by the US promises to reduce the risk of suicide.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Holroyde handed down the judgment following a hearing in October. Assange’s fiancee, Stella Moris, said they intended to appeal against the “grave miscarriage of justice”.

In January, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, presiding over the case at the Old Bailey court in London, ruled that Assange was likely to take his own life if extradited to the US where he is wanted on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents a decade ago.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.