WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can't be extradited to US, says British judge

Julian Assange (Image: Reuters)

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the US, a British court has ruled.

Assange was set to learn on January 3 whether a British judge has approved his extradition to the US to face charges including espionage over the release of secret US military documents.

US authorities accuse Australian-born Assange, 49, of 18 counts relating to Wikileaks’ release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which they said had put lives in danger.

His lawyers had argued the entire prosecution was politically-motivated, powered by U.S. President Donald Trump and that his extradition posed a severe threat to the work of journalists.

At a hearing at London’s Old Bailey, Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected nearly all his legal team’s arguments but said she could not extradite him as there was a real risk he would commit suicide and ordered his discharge.

“Faced with conditions of near total isolation...I am satisfied that the procedures (outline by U.S. authorities) will not prevent Mr Assange from finding a way to commit suicide,” she said.

However, the United States will continue to seek WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition, the US Department of Justice said on January 4.

“While we are extremely disappointed in the court’s ultimate decision, we are gratified that the United States prevailed on every point of law raised. In particular, the court rejected all of Mr. Assange’s arguments regarding political motivation, political offense, fair trial, and freedom of speech. We will continue to seek Mr. Assange’s extradition to the United States,” department spokesman Marc Raimondi said in a statement.

With inputs from Reuters