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Watch: Outside High Court as Julian Assange wins bid to appeal US extradition

Holly Patrick
Monday 20 May 2024 09:44 EDT
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Watch outside the High Court in London on Monday, 20 May, after Julian Assange won a bid to bring an appeal against his US extradition on Monday, 20 May.

The WikiLeaks founder, 52, faces prosecution over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information after the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Mr Assange was taken to Belmarsh prison five years ago, after being dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he had stayed for seven years while trying to avoid extradition.

Joe Biden said he is “considering” dropping the prosecution of the Australian journalist.

Back in February, Mr Assange's lawyers requested permission to challenge a judge’s dismissal of the majority of his case to prevent his extradition.

The next month, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson dismissed the majority of Mr Assange’s legal arguments but added that unless assurances were given by the US he would be able to bring an appeal on three grounds.

The assurances are that Mr Assange would be protected by and allowed to rely on the First Amendment – assuring freedom of speech in the US – that he is not “prejudiced at trial” because of his nationality, and that the death penalty is not imposed.

Mr Assange will now be able to bring an appeal at the High Court.

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