The High Court in London ruled on Tuesday that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the United States.

Two judges ruled Assange can take his case to an appeal hearing if the Biden administration cannot provide the court with “satisfactory assurances.”

NBC News explained:

The court ruled that Assange could pursue his appeal at a full hearing, unless the U.S. provided “satisfactory assurances” on the questions of whether he was able to rely on the First Amendment of the Constitution and whether he could be subject to the death penalty. It added that he should not be prejudiced at trial or sentencing “by reason of his nationality.”

“If those assurances are not given, then leave to appeal will be given and there will then be an appeal hearing,” the ruling said. “If assurances are given then the parties will have a further opportunity to make representations.” A further hearing on May 20, will be held to “decide if the assurances are satisfactory, and to make a final decision on leave to appeal.”

“Julian Assange may still be extradited to the US in three weeks if US Gov provides ‘assurances’ – previously deemed by Amnesty as ‘inherently unreliable’ – including that he will not be prejudiced at trial by reason of his nationality and not receive the death penalty,” Wikileaks wrote.

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* Images from Wikileaks X Post *

Journalist Ben Swann shared footage of Stella Assange, Julian Assange’s wife, addressing the London press.

WATCH:

From The Guardian:

If Assange had been denied permission to appeal he could have been extradited within days to face espionage charges. While the judges’ decision means he avoids that fate it leaves him facing a further wait, with his future still unresolved.

In a written judgment, handed down on Tuesday morning, Sharp said the concerns that had real prospects of success at appeal but which “may be capable of being addressed by assurances” were “that the applicant [Assange] is permitted to rely on the first amendment, that the applicant is not prejudiced at trial, including sentence, by reason of his nationality, that he is afforded the same first amendment protections as a United States citizen, and that the death penalty is not imposed”.

At a two-day hearing last month, which Assange was too unwell to attend, his lawyers argued that he faced a “flagrant denial of justice” if extradited to the US to face charges relating to the publication by Assange and WikiLeaks of thousands of classified and diplomatic documents they said had exposed torture, rendition, extrajudicial killings and war crimes.

His wife, Stella Assange, expressed dismay at the judges’ decision. “What the courts have done has been to invite a political intervention from the United States … send a letter saying ‘its all OK’,” she said. “I find this astounding.

“This case is a retribution. It is a signal to all of you that if you expose the interests that are driving war they will come after you, they will put you in prison and will try to kill you.

“The Biden administration should not issue assurances. They should drop this shameful case that should never have been brought.”

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