London Court Denies Julian Assange Bail And U.S. Extradition Order

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared before the London court with the plea to be set free attempting to further avoid being extradited to the U.S. where he is facing federal espionage charges. The London court denied Assange’s plea refusing to set bail for Assange as well as the extradition order from U.S. authorities.

WikiLeaks founder Julien Assange faces ruling on extradition to US https://t.co/yDSLUBWpWq pic.twitter.com/Kjr7obgHcf

— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) January 4, 2021

Assange is known for publishing hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic cables and military documents on WikiLeaks in 2010 and 2011. The U.S. Department of Justice appealed the London court ruling and confirms they will continue to seek Assange’s extradition for 18 criminal charges of conspiring to hack government computers and breaking espionage law.

The London court denied bail as Assange poses as a flight risk with a past of fleeing the law and denied the extradition order citing that it would be oppressive to Assange’s mental health and warns he could commit suicide. Assange has spent the last eight years fleeing from U.S. authorities detained in the U.K. the Ecuadorian embassy and the Belmarsh prison near London.

Breaking: UK judge rules against extradition of Assange to US #AssangeCase

Scenes outside the old Bailey pic.twitter.com/XXHbhXU6j7

— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) January 4, 2021

For now, it seems that Assange will continue to be detained in the U.K. citing reasons of mental health that was also cited by his fiancée Stella Morris. Assange’s fiancée is opposed to the extradition order citing her concern for his mental health and the court should consider the lack of resources in protection for Assange by other countries as the U.K. provided.