LONDON (Reuters) – Julian Assange on Thursday lodged an appeal to the British Supreme Court against a High Court ruling that paved the way for his extradition to the United States.
On December 10, the High Court of Justice ruled Washington’s appeal against a first-instance decision opposing the extradition of the founder of WikiLeaks admissible.
The US authorities intend to prosecute the 50-year-old Australian on 18 charges relating to the publication by WikiLeaks, from 2010, of hundreds of thousands of US military documents and confidential diplomatic cables which they claim have lives in danger.
British justice opposed the extradition at first instance, arguing risks to the health of Julian Assange (risk of suicide in particular), but the United States had appealed in October against this decision by providing “guarantees” on his conditions of detention.
The Supreme Court is the UK’s final appeal court.
Stella Moris, Julian Assange’s lawyer who became his partner and mother of two children, said the High Court ruling raised three legal issues of general interest.
“Under English law, in order for the claim to have a chance to be considered by the Supreme Court, the same High Court justices who ordered Julian Assange’s extradition must first certify that at least one of the grounds appeal from the Supreme Court is a point of law of general interest, ”she said in a statement.
Stella Moris clarified that the application for leave to appeal is currently being considered by the judges of the High Court. A decision is not expected until the third week of January.
(Report Mike Holden, written by James Davey; French version Camille Raynaud)
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