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UK Home Secretary Priti Patel on Friday June 17 formally signed an order extraditing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to stand trial, specifically on espionage charges.
“It’s a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy,” WikiLeaks said in a press release on twitter. “Priti Patel had the power to make the right choice,” the organization continues. Instead, she will forever be remembered as an accomplice of the United States in its plan to turn investigative journalism into a criminal enterprise. »
“However, today is not the end of the struggle, adds WikiLeaks. We will appeal to the court system, the next appeal will be to the High Court. We will fight harder and shout louder in the streets, we will organize and let everyone know Julian’s story. Although the principle of extradition of Julian Assange has already been upheld at first instance and on appeal, the extradition order itself may be subject to further appeals to the High Court and then to the Supreme Court at second instance.
A protester outside Central Criminal Court in London, September 7 © Photo AFP
“Allowing the extradition of Julian Assange would put him in grave danger and sends a message of deterrence to journalists around the world,” said Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard. “If extradition continues, Amnesty International is extremely concerned that Assange faces a significant risk of being placed in prolonged solitary confinement, in violation of the prohibition on torture and other ill-treatment,” she added in a statement.