The extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States is “perhaps a matter of life and death.” On Friday, December 10, Rebecca Vincent, Director of Reporters Without Borders, said this to Izvestia.
“His (Assange – Ed.) Serious mental health problems were identified by medical experts who testified during this trial. He remains at high risk if extradited, despite promises from the US, ”she said.
According to Vincent, Assange has been targeted for his contributions to journalism, and his prosecution in the United States will have troubling consequences for the future of journalism and press freedom around the world.
Earlier that day, the Court of Appeals for England and Wales overturned the ban on Assange’s extradition to the United States. Assange’s fiancé Stella Morris said that the court’s decision will be challenged as soon as possible.
The case will be returned to the trial court, which previously ruled that the man could not be extradited to the United States due to the risk of his suicide. The decision also states that Assange should remain in custody.
As noted by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, the satisfaction of the US appeal on the extradition of Assange is a shameful verdict. According to her, the West “honorably” celebrated the International Day of Human Rights and the end of the “Summit of Democracies”.
In turn, the director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States (Moscow State University) Yuri Rogulev in an interview with Izvestia noted that under US law Assange committed a crime against the state and this will be punished. At the same time, the expert admitted that the founder of WikiLeaks may still be returned to serve time to his homeland – to Australia.
The WikiLeaks founder is currently in UK custody. In 2019, Washington indicted him on 18 counts, including violating espionage laws and conspiring to hack into a government computer. A journalist in the United States faces 175 years in prison.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
