Julian Assange Wins Right to Challenge British Court's Decision on Extradition

High Court Judges Grant Permission for Appeal

Assange faces extradition to U.S. over espionage charges

In a major development, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been granted permission to challenge a British court's decision to approve his extradition to the United States. The decision was made on Monday at a High Court hearing in London. Assange is wanted in the U.S. on espionage charges related to the publication of classified military and diplomatic documents by WikiLeaks.

Assange's legal team has argued that the extradition request is politically motivated and that he faces the risk of harsh treatment in the U.S. prison system. The U.S. authorities, however, maintain that the charges against Assange are serious and that he should face justice for his actions.

The High Court judges' decision to grant Assange permission to appeal represents a significant setback for the U.S. government. Assange's extradition could now be delayed for months or even years as his legal team pursues its appeal.

Assange has been held in Belmarsh, one of Britain's highest-security prisons in southeastern London, since 2019. He was first arrested in Britain in 2010 on a Swedish warrant over sex crime allegations that were later dropped. In 2012, he sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he remained for seven years before being expelled in 2019.