Priti Patel has approved the extradition of the WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange to the US, a decision the organization immediately said it would appeal against in the high court.
The case passed to the home secretary last month after the supreme court ruled there were no legal questions over assurances given by US authorities over how Assange was likely to be treated.
While Patel has given the green light, WikiLeaks immediately released a statement to say it would appeal against the decision.
Timeline
Julian Assange extradition battle
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June 2010 – October 2010
WikiLeaks released about 470,000 classified military documents concerning American diplomacy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It later released a tranche of more than 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables.
November 2010
A Swedish prosecutor issues a European arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault allegations involving two Swedish women. Assange denies the claims.
February 2011
A British judge ruled that Assange could be extradited to Sweden. Assange fears Sweden will hand him over to US authorities who could prosecute him.
November 2016
Assange is questioned in a two-day interview over the allegations at the Ecuadorian embassy by Swedish authorities.
January 2018
Britain refuses Ecuador’s request to accord Assange diplomatic status, allowing him to leave the embassy without arrest.
11 April 2019
Police arrested Assange at the embassy on behalf of the US after his asylum was withdrawn. We charge him with a federal conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified US government computer.’
24 February 2020
Assange’s extradition hearing begins at Woolwich crown court in south-east London. After a week of opening arguments, the extradition case willbe adjourned until May. The coronavirus outbreak causes further delays.
15 September 2020
A hearing scheduled for four weeks begins at the Old Bailey with the US government making their case that Assange tried to recruit hackers to find classified government information.
4 January 2021
A British judge ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the US. The US appeals against the judgment.
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“Today is not the end of the fight,” it said. “It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. We will appeal through the legal system; the next appeal will be before the high court.”
The statement said anyone who cared about freedom of expression should be “deeply ashamed” that the home secretary approved Assange’s extradition.
“Julian did nothing wrong. He has committed no crime and is not a criminal. He is a journalist and a publisher and is being punished for doing his job,” it said.
“It was in Priti Patel’s power to do the right thing. Instead, she will forever be remembered as an accomplice of the United States in its agenda to turn investigative journalism into a criminal enterprise.”
Any appeal will likely focus on grounds such as the right to freedom of expression and whether the extradition request is politically motivated. Patel had considered whether the US extradition request met the remaining legal tests, including a promise not to execute him.
The Australian is being held at Belmarsh prison in London after a lengthy battle to avoid being deported.
At a press conference in London, his wife, Stella Assange, said: “We are not at the end of the road here. We are going to fight this. We are going to use every available avenue. Every waking hour, I will fight for Julian until he is free and until justice is served.”
The saga was triggered in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks by Chelsea Manning, a former US army soldier, and a dump of more than 250,000 US diplomatic cables, some of which were published in the Guardian and elsewhere, containing classified careful analysis from world leaders. The US government launched a criminal investigation into the leaks.
Also, in 2010, an arrest warrant for Assange was issued for two separate sexual assault allegations in Sweden. The UK ruled he should be extradited to Sweden.
This prompted him to enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London in August 2012, claiming political asylum. He feared that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be extradited to the US.
Assange finally left the embassy in 2019. He was arrested in the UK for skipping bail and ultimately jailed. Then extradition proceedings to the US were started against him.
Patel’s decision was immediately criticized by campaigners, journalists, and MPs.
Caroline Lucas, the Green party MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “Absolutely shameful that Priti Patel has approved Julian Assange’s extradition to the US – this sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom and democracy.
“US authorities are determined to silence him because they don’t like what he revealed.”
The former cabinet minister David Davis said: “Sadly, I do not believe Mr. Assange will get a fair trial. Unlike now, this extradition treaty needs to be rewritten to give British and American citizens equal rights.”
Sadly I do not believe Mr. Assange will get a fair trial. This extradition treaty needs to be rewritten to give British and American citizens identical rights, unlike now.https://t.co/LEL6ik0S8i
— David Davis (@DavidDavisMP) June 17, 2022
The veteran BBC broadcaster John Simpson said: “Journalists in Britain and elsewhere will be very worried by the decision to extradite Julian Assange to the US – both for his wellbeing and for the precedent it creates for journalism worldwide.”
Journalists in Britain and elsewhere will be very worried by the decision to extradite Julian Assange to the US — both for his wellbeing & for the precedent it creates for journalism worldwide.
— John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) June 17, 2022
John Pilger, an Australian journalist and longtime supporter of Assange, said: “A new appeal will challenge the political rottenness of British ‘justice’. Either we raise our voices as never before, or our silence colludes in the death of a heroic man.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of Julian #Assange to an American hellhole. A new appeal will now challenge the political rottenness of British ‘justice’. Either we raise our voices as never before, or our silence colludes in the death of a heroic man.
— John Pilger (@johnpilger) June 17, 2022
The new Australian government believed Assange’s case had “dragged on for too long and should be brought to a close”.
“We will continue to express this view to the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States,” the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, and the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said in a statement responding to Patel’s decision.
As the opposition leader, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, had said last year that he did “not see what purpose is served by the ongoing pursuit of Mr. Assange” and that “enough is enough”.
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A Home Office spokesperson said: “On 17 June, following consideration by both the magistrate’s court and high court, the extradition of Mr. Julian Assange to the US was ordered. Mr. Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal.
“In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust, or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange.
“Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and freedom of expression, and that while in the US, he will be treated appropriately, including about his health.”
