British court rules Julian Assange extradition on pause until US guarantees no death penalty
British High Court rules U.S. cannot extradite Julian Assange without assurance of no death penalty or protection for First Amendment rights.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
The British High Court has ruled that the U.S. cannot extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on espionage charges unless U.S. officials assure that he will not face the death penalty and will receive First Amendment protections. If these assurances are not provided within three weeks, Assange will be granted the right to appeal. If assurances are given, there will be a hearing on May 20 to determine their sufficiency. The court rejected most of Assange’s appeals, including claims that his prosecution is political. Assange, facing 17 counts under the Espionage Act, could potentially be sentenced to 175 years if convicted in the U.S. The case has drawn attention from both sides of the political spectrum, with press freedom groups warning of dangerous precedents if Assange is extradited.