Julian Assange is now dangerously close to extradition. Last week, a single UK judge issued a three-page decision rejecting the Wikileaks publisher’s appeal against the extradition order, leaving only one final step possible in the UK courts.
If extradited to the U.S., Assange faces a possible total of 175 years in prison – meaning he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. Reporters Without Borders (RWB) called on President Biden that it is now more urgent than ever: drop these charges, close the case against Assange and allow for his release without further delay.
The U.S. government has requested Assange’s extradition to bring him to trial on 18 counts in connection with Wikileaks’ 2010 publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked classified documents, which exposed war crimes and human rights violations, and informed public interest reporting around the world.
If extradited, RWB cautioned that Assange would be the first publisher to be tried under the U.S. Espionage Act, which lacks a public interest defence. It said that this would create an alarming precedent that would permanently impact the climate for journalism around the world.
The historical weight of what happens next cannot be overstated; it is time to put a stop to this relentless targeting of Assange and act instead to protect journalism and press freedom, said Rebecca Vincent, Director of Campaigns, RWB.
