A hearing will be held at London's High Court on February 20 and 21 in what may be Julian Assange's final legal challenge to appeal his extradition to the US. In this context, the wife of the WikiLeaks founder, Stella Assange, sharply criticized Washington this Tuesday.
“The United States has opened a politically motivated case against a journalist for exposing him in the commission of crimes.” manifested in a speech in front of the building. “He shouldn't even be talking about justice at this point because the country that wanted to extradite him was conspiring to murder him.“He continued.
“They need to know that they can’t get away with this. “Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth” he claimed Stella. “What is at stake is the ability to publish the truth and expose crimes when they are committed by states,” he stressed.
She had previously stated that her husband's health had “deteriorated physically and mentally”. “Every day he stays in prison his life is in danger and if he is extradited he will die,” he said.
Evidence of his poor health was that the journalist was unable to attend the court hearing on the first day of the trial. The court was told that Assange was “not feeling well today” and would not attend the hearing, said Judge Victoria Sharp. “He has decided not to participate in person or via video conference due to health reasons,” he added.
The Assange case
Assange was held in London prison Belmarsh in 2019 after then-President of Ecuador Lenín Moreno allowed his arrest at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where the Australian journalist had spent seven years in asylum since June 2012.
A court initially rejected the extradition request and admitted this Assange could commit suicide or face inhumane treatment in the North American country. However, Washington successfully appealed the verdict, assuring London that the defendant's rights would be respected.
The US judiciary has filed a total of 18 charges against Assange under the Espionage Act and applications on his behalf 175 years in prison.
Taken from Russia Today