Julian Assange’s Extradition To U.S. Approved

The British government has approved Julian Assange‘s extradition to the U.S.

Assange is set to face spying charges for releasing thousands of classified documents and videos regarding America’s involvement in the Iraq War.

His website WikiLeaks also published hundreds of leaked emails from Hillary Clinton thought to be provided by the Russian government.

After being removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in 2019, Assange has been fighting to avoid extradition to the U.S. over fears that he could be a suicide risk.

The U.K. courts have recently ruled that extraditing Assange would not violate its laws.

“The U.K. courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange,” the Home Office wrote in a statement. “Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the U.S. he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health.”

Assange, who founded WikiLeaks in 2006, was on the run from both the U.S. and Swedish governments, seeking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years.

His sexual assault case in Sweden has since been dropped, but the U.S. government’s charges of espionage remain.

Assange’s lawyers claim that their defendant could face up to 175 years for all the charges against him.

Multiple human rights organizations have spoken out against the extradition citing possible inhumane conditions Assange might face.

Assange is also set to appeal the decision, but his efforts are unlikely to prevail, experts say.

Celebrities, like Pamela Anderson, have campaigned to get Assange a presidential pardon.