Main stages of the judicial saga carried out for 14 years by the founder of Wikileaksthe Australian Julian Assangeimprisoned in United Kingdom and to whom the justice system agreed this Monday to the possibility of appealing his extradition to USA.
Disclosures and arrest warrant
In July 2010, the world press published 70,000 confidential documents on the operations of the international coalition in Afghanistan, disseminated by the Wikileaks page. In October, 400,000 reports on the US invasion of Iraq are published and, a month later, the contents of 250,000 US diplomatic cables.
On November 18, Sweden issued a European arrest warrant against Assange as part of an investigation into the rape and sexual assault of two women in August 2010. The Australian claims that they were consensual relations.
Assange, who was in London, surrendered to the British police on December 7. He is detained for nine days and then under house arrest.
In February 2011, a court validates the extradition request to Sweden. The Australian fears being handed over from there to the United States and facing the death penalty.
Refugee in the Ecuadorian embassy
On June 19, 2012, Assange takes refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and requests political asylum. Ecuador, chaired by Rafael Correa, grants asylum in August and asks the British authorities, without success, for safe passage so that the founder of Wikileaks can travel to Quito.
Assange will be held in the embassy for almost seven years.
On April 2, 2019, Ecuadorian president Lenín Moreno claims that Assange violated the agreement on his asylum conditions and nine days later the Australian is detained at the embassy by British police.
Rape investigation reopened
Immediately, the lawyer of the woman who accuses Assange of rape in Sweden announces the request to reopen the investigation, archived in 2017. The facts concerning the other lawsuit, for sexual assault, had prescribed in 2015.
New American indictment
On May 23, 2019, the American justice system, which had already accused him of “computer hacking,” indicted him on another 17 charges under anti-espionage laws. Assange is liable to 175 years in prison.
On October 21, the Wikileaks founder appears in person for the first time at Westminster Court, confused and babbling.
Sweden abandons its prosecution
On November 19, 2019, the Swedish prosecutor’s office announced the abandonment of the rape investigation, due to lack of evidence.
Extradition hearing in London
On February 24, 2020, British justice begins to examine the US extradition request, postponed due to the pandemic. Lawyer Stella Morris, Assange’s partner, warns that in the United States he could be “sentenced to death.”
On January 4, 2021, Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejects the request, considering that the conditions of imprisonment in the United States could entail a risk of suicide. The British justice system decides to keep him in detention.
Cancellation of refusal to extradite
On February 12, 2021, Washington appeals the denial of extradition and at the beginning of the hearing in October, the United States lawyer denies that there is a risk of suicide and affirms that, if extradited, Assange would not be held in the high-security prison. special ADX in Florence (Colorado), who would receive the necessary medical and psychological care and could request to serve his sentence in Australia.
On December 10, the High Court of London annuls the rejection of extradition, considering that the United States had provided guarantees about the treatment that would be provided to the founder of WikiLeaks. Assange’s defense presents a new appeal.
Appeal against extradition
On March 14, 2022, the British High Court rejects that appeal. On April 20, London’s Westminster Magistrates Court formally issues an extradition order.
On June 17, the British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, signs the extradition decree, which Assange appeals. On February 20 and 21, 2024, the trial will take place in London to examine the appeal against extradition.
On March 25, the High Court of Justice in London announced that the next day it would say whether to accept Assange’s appeal.
New guarantees
On March 26, British justice asks the United States for new guarantees on the treatment it would reserve for Assange if he is extradited. The British magistrates asked for guarantees that the Australian could benefit from the First Amendment of the Constitution, which protects freedom of expression, and that he would not be sentenced to death.
On May 20, the High Court of Justice in London, after examining the guarantees, grants Assange a new appeal against his extradition.
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Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
