British Home Secretary Priti Patel today signed the order for the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States. In a statement, the Home Office asserted that “the U.K. courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange. Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the U.S. he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health.”
Assange has been held at the maximum-security HM Prison Belmarsh in London since 2019, without having been charged with any crime in Britain, and is in failing health because of the barbaric conditions in which he has been held. In a statement released today, WikiLeaks declared that “this is a dark day for press freedom and British democracy.... It was in Priti Patel’s power to do the right thing. Instead she will always be remembered as an accomplice of the United States in its agenda to turn investigative journalism into a criminal enterprise.”
Assange’s wife Stella Moris and his legal team have vowed to continue the fight for Assange’s release. They have 14 days in which to appeal the decision.
