WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was refused permission on Monday by Britain’s top court to appeal against a decision to extradite him to the US to face spying charges with the court explaining that the case didn’t raise an arguable point of law.
The case should now be formally sent to British Home Secretary Priti Patel, who will decide whether to grant the extradition of Assange, who’s trying for years to avoid US trial on charges related to WikiLeaks’ publishing of a huge trove of classified documents over a decade ago.
His British lawyers – Birnberg Peirce Solicitors –can make submissions to Patel within the next four weeks, ahead of her making any decision.
The US extradition request was initially rejected by a British district court judge on the grounds that Assange was likely to kill himself if held under harsh US prison conditions, but the American authorities provided assurance that he wouldn’t face any severe treatment that would put his physical and mental health at risk.
Pointing out that US promises were enough to guarantee humane treatment of Assange, Britain’s High Court overturned in December the lower court’s decision.
Following Monday’s decision, Assange’s options are now quite narrowed though his defense team – extremely disappointed that Britain’s Supreme Court is unwilling to hear the appeal – may still attempt to bring his case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Assange’s lawyers can also seek – as the former head of extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service Nick Vamos explained – to challenge other points that he had lost in the original district court decision.
Assange’s US-based lawyer Barry Pollack said on Monday that Wikileaks founder will continue fighting his extradition to the US.
If convicted in the US, Assange could face up to 175 years in jail though US authorities have said the sentence was likely to be much lower than that.
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