The UK Supreme Court has denied Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange’s appeal against his extradition to the U.S.
On Monday a Supreme Court spokesperson said that “the application has been refused by the Supreme Court and the reason given is that application did not raise an arguable point of law.”
The U.S. government wants to put Assange on trial for his connection to the publication of 500,000 secret military files relating to the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This new ruling brings the long running legal saga in the UK course closer to a conclusion, although Assange’s lawyer hasn’t ruled out launching a final appeal.
Previously a British district court judge had rejected a U.S. extradition request, as they believed that Assange would be a danger to himself and likely kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.
Since then, U.S. authorities provided assurances that the treatment Assange would face would not put his physical and mental health as risk.
It is expected that Assange’s case will now be sent to British Home Secretary Priti Patel for approval, after which Assange can try to challenge the decision via judicial review.
More than likely Assange’s legal team said they will make representations to Patel, and she will consider whether to allow or block the extradition.
Assange’s legal team also indicated it could launch further appeals on other points in the case.
Assange’s lawyers Birnberg Peirce Solicitors said in a statement that “no appeal to the High Court has yet been filed by him in respect of the other important issues he raised previously.”
They went onto state “that separate process of appeal has, of course, yet to be initiated.”
On Monday Barry Pollack, Assange’s U.S. based lawyer said on Monday that it was “extremely disappointing” that the UK’s Supreme Court is unwilling to hear the appeal against his extradition.
He went onto to say that “Mr. Assange will continue the legal process fighting his extradition to the United States to face criminal charges for publishing truthful and newsworthy information.”
Assange is facing trial for violating the U.S. Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010.
If found guilty Assange could face 175 years in jail, although the precise length of his sentence is difficult to estimate.
Assange has been held on remand at a high security jail in southeast London since 2019, due to him jumping bail in a previous case where he was accused of sexual assault in Sweden.
Although Assange had the sexual assault charge dropped, he was not released from prison on the grounds that he may be a flight risk in the U.S. extradition case.
That case was dropped but he was not released from prison after serving time for breaching bail on the grounds he was a flight risk in the U.S.
extradition case.
Previously Assange had spent seven years refuging inside Ecuador’s embassy in London to avoid being removed to Sweden, but he was arrested when the government changed in Ecuador and his diplomatic protection was removed.
