WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will not be extradited to the US from the UK, a judge in London ruled on Monday. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser blocked the extradition request because of Assange's mental health.
Assange is wanted in the USA on espionage charges and faces an 18-point charge He accused him of conspiring to hack military databases in order to publish classified information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If convicted, Assange could face a 175-year prison sentence, despite the US government's announcement that he is likely to face between four and six years in prison.
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Assange believes the US extradition request was politically motivated. Meanwhile, his lawyers along with public speaking and human rights lawyers around the world have condemned the order, stating that Assange was acting as a journalist and that he should therefore be protected by the first amendment.
In her ruling on Monday, Baraitser said that Assange would likely attempt to commit suicide based on evidence of self-harm and suicidal ideation if subject to the U.S. prison system. She was not satisfied that the procedures described by the US would prevent Assange from killing himself. He would likely use his "intellect" and "determination" to circumvent any measures taken, she added.
Several doctors who assessed Assange were quoted in the verdict as saying that Assange was at high risk of suicide. "I am as confident as a psychiatrist can ever be that Mr. Assange will find a route to suicide if extradited to the United States," said Peter Kopelman, Professor Emeritus of Neuropsychiatry at Kings College London.
Assange's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Assange's appeal against the extradition warrant came late last year his arrest in April 2019. He had lived in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, where he was offered asylum after breaching his bail. Assange has been in Belmarsh Prison in London since his arrest He was sentenced to 50 weeks Detention for violating his bail conditions. His lawyers are currently fighting for his release.
The US Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but according to the BBC, US authorities will appeal the decision.
