Julian Assange, the symbol of a free and true press, is making headlines. Check out the latest reports about him below.
Julian Assange to have final appeal in February 2024
According to Reuters, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is facing his final legal challenge to prevent his extradition from the UK to the US, where he is wanted on criminal charges.
His supporters stated that a public hearing will be held at London’s High Court on February 20-21, where two judges will review a previous ruling that refused Assange permission to appeal.
The US authorities are seeking Assange, who is 52 years old, on 18 counts, including one under a spying act, due to WikiLeaks’ release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables, which Washington claims put lives in danger.
While Britain has approved his extradition, Assange has been attempting to overturn the decision.
“The two-day hearing may be the final chance for Julian Assange to prevent his extradition to the United States,” WikiLeaks said in a statement.
In 2010, WikiLeaks released hundreds of thousands of secret classified files and diplomatic cables, which was the largest security breach of its kind in the history of the U.S. military. As per U.S. prosecutors, this leak put the lives of agents mentioned in the leaked material in danger.
Julian Assange’s supporters argue that he is a hero who exposed U.S. wrongdoing and that his persecution is an attack on journalism and free speech. Assange spent seven years in Ecuador’s embassy in London, and in 2019, he was jailed for violating bail conditions.
His extradition case is currently under review, and his lawyers have also filed an application to the European Court of Human Rights, which has the power to halt his extradition.
“The last four and a half years have taken the most considerable toll on Julian and his family, including our two young sons,” said his wife Stella, whom he married in prison.
“The persecution of this innocent journalist and publisher must end.”
