The judge said it would be “oppressive” to extradite Assange to the U.S. given his fragile mental state. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange cannot be legally extradited to the United States to face espionage charges because of concerns over his fragile mental health and the risk of suicide, a British court ruled on Monday. Lawyers acting on behalf of the U.S. government have already said they will appeal the decision. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser delivered her decision at London’s Old Bailey court in a case that has pitted national security against freedom of expression. A crowd of reporters gathered outside as a small group of supporters chanted “Free Julian Assange.” “I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America,” the judge said in her decision. If extradited, Assange, 49, would face a maximum of 175 years in prison if convicted on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse. (…) Ahead of the ruling, Assange’s partner, Stella Moris, with whom he had two children while living in the embassy, told NBC News that he was “an innocent man who’s been in prison for almost two years for publishing the truth about state crimes, about war crimes, about human rights abuses. This is a stain on democracy.” Calling on President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden to pardon him, she said it would save Assange’s life, save her family’s life and “also save the First Amendment.” “Democracy itself is at stake with this case, because it’s a frontal attack on our right to know, on holding governments accountable,” said Moris, who was a member of Assange’s legal team.
via nbcnews: WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the U.S. to face espionage charges, U.K. court rules
siehe auch: Reporter ohne Grenzen will sofortige Freilassung von Julian Assange – #freeassange #HandsOffAssange. Organisation: US-Anklage “eindeutig politisch motiviert” – Londoner Gericht entscheidet am Montag über. Kurz vor der Gerichtsentscheidung über eine Auslieferung von Julian Assange in die USA hat die Organisation Reporter ohne Grenzen die sofortige Freilassung des WikiLeaks-Gründers gefordert. “Die US-Anklage gegen Julian Assange ist eindeutig politisch motiviert”, sagte Geschäftsführer Christian Mihr am Freitag. “Die USA wollen ein Exempel statuieren und eine abschreckende Wirkung auf Medienschaffende überall auf der Welt erzielen.” Am Montag entscheidet ein Gericht in London über die Auslieferung; ; Gericht in London Briten liefern Assange nicht an USA aus. WikiLeaks-Gründer Julian Assange darf nicht an die USA ausgeliefert werden. Das entschied ein Londoner Gericht. Grund seien die Haftbedingungen, die ihn dort erwarteten. Die USA kündigten Berufung an. Ein Gericht in London hat entschieden: Großbritannien liefert WikiLeaks-Gründer Julian Assange nicht an die USA aus. Der Grund seien die Haftbedingungen, die den 49-jährigen gebürtigen Australier in den USA erwarteten, teilte das Gericht mit. Die Richterin begründete ihre Entscheidung näher damit, dass damit zu rechnen sei, dass Assange sich in Isolationshaft das Leben nehmen werde.
