Assange judges seek no death penalty pledge from US

US authorities say Mr Assange endangered lives by publishing thousands of classified documents. His lawyers have argued that the case is a form of “state retaliation. The court adjourned its final decision on Mr Assange’s extradition by three weeks to give the US government time to comply with its order. Wikileaks published confidential US documents in 2010 and 2011.

Mr Assange was widely condemned for failing to redact the names of intelligence operatives. The 52-year-old Australian national attempted to avoid extradition to the US by seeking refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. He was arrested in 2019 and has been held in UK prisons since. Mr Assange is not charged with any offence in the US which carries the death penalty.

However, his lawyers fear he could be further charged with a treason or espionage crime in the future which does. The US has repeatedly pointed out Mr Assange isn’t charged with such an offence and has previously given the courts an assurance they would allow him to serve his prison sentence in Australia if convicted. Wife Stella Assange described her husband as a political prisoner. He faces up to 175 years in jail if he is convicted.

His remaining option would be to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. Australia has passed a motion calling on the UK and US to release Mr Assange.