The United Kingdom has delayed the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, stating the United States needs to guarantee the publisher will not face the death penalty.
The British High Court judges, Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson stated the U.S. needs to ensure that Assange will be afforded “the same First Amendment protections as a United States citizen, and that the death penalty is not imposed,” according to the Associated Press.
The judges said they would give the Australian publisher a new appeal if the U.S. does not give assurances within three weeks. Assange for now will stay in the Belmarsh Prison, London’s high-security facility where he has been for the last five years. A further hearing was scheduled for May 20.
If the U.S. provides new assurances, the judges said it will provide the parties with “an opportunity to make further submissions before we make a final decision on the application for leave to appeal,” according to the AP.
U.S. prosecutors want to put Assange on trial on 18 counts over WikiLeaks’ publishing of diplomatic cables and confidential U.S. military records.
Assange’s supporters are arguing his prosecution is political and that he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment. They argued he exposed the wrongdoings of the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq, acting in the public’s interest.
The U.S. government is arguing his acts have endangered the lives of their agents and went beyond the acts of journalism.
“Today’s decision is astounding,” Stella Assange, Julian Assange’s wife said, according to Reuters. “The (U.S. President Joe) Biden administration should not issue assurances, they should drop this shameful case that should never have been brought.”
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