Julian Assange: Wikileaks founder can challenge US extradition

The High Court made a ruling permitting Wikileaks creator Julian Assange to initiate a fresh appeal against his extradition to the United States.

He was authorized to challenge the verdict that obliged him to go to America and face accusations of divulging confidential information about the military.

This choice implies that Mr. Assange can oppose the United States' guarantees regarding his likely trial's handling and if the government might violate his freedom of speech.

The legal battle of Mr Assange had a recent ruling and it was observed that his lawyers hugged each other in the court to celebrate this decision.

They have contended that the accusations leveled against him are driven by political motives.

Today, two experienced judges issued a brief judgment allowing him to challenge a prior decision. They decided that he ought to have a complete opportunity to appeal within the confines of the United Kingdom.

For over ten years, Mr Assange has fought against being sent back from the UK, following the publication by his Wikileaks website of numerous classified US files between 2010 and 2011.

Julian Assange, who is presently held at Belmarsh Prison, will have some time to get ready for his appeal dealing with whether the American judiciary will guarantee his freedom of expression as an Australian national.

He states that the information he brought forth in 2010 exposed unethical actions carried out by the United States in a time of war. On the other hand, those in charge of the case claim that his declarations put people's lives at risk.

People who support Mr. Assange were happy when they found out about the decision from the court room.

This implies that he will stay in the United Kingdom at the moment.

On Monday, the wife of the 52-year-old Julian Assange named Stella Assange, expressed to the BBC that it was going to be a crucial day in the long-lasting legal fight. Stella Assange affirmed her determination to persevere in the fight for Julian's freedom, regardless of the judges’ final decision.

If the court had decided in favor of the US, Mr. Assange would have run out of all the available legal options in the UK.

The United States has been trying to get him sent over, following the release of numerous confidential files - which the US Department of Justice referred to as "one of the most extensive leaks of classified information ever seen in America."

The documents implied that the United States military may have been responsible for the deaths of non-combatants that went unreported throughout the duration of the Afghan War.

The US government has accused Mr Assange of putting lives at risk by not removing the identities of intelligence agents from the documents. However, his legal team disputes this claim and believes that the charges are based on political reasons, as a form of "state revenge".

During an interview on Monday with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms. Assange stated that her son had revealed actual war crimes.

This situation represents the retaliation of a particular nation towards transparency and responsibility.

In 2022, Priti Patel, the then-Home Secretary, approved the order for extradition of Mr. Assange. However, in February 2024, he approached the High Court again to seek permission for appealing externally.

During a court session held in March, authorities in the United States were given an extension of time to provide guarantees that Mr. Assange would not be sentenced to death in the country, as well as two other concerns.

It was suggested that Mr Assange could use the initial amendment of the US constitution as a basis for safeguarding his right to express himself freely. This particular amendment shields the rights of citizens to speak without fear of oppression.

The fact that he is Australian would not be a disadvantage for him.

Judges verified that the United States had given guarantees to the court in the previous month.

Last month, US President Joe Biden stated that he was pondering over a plea from Australia to abandon the prosecution of Mr. Assange and send him back to his home country.