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London High Court to hold hearing on Julian Assange’s extradition to US

According to Assange’s spouse Stella, the court is likely to announce its ruling on May, 20

LONDON, May 20. /TASS/. UK’s High Court of England and Wales will hold a hearing on the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. According to Assange’s spouse Stella, the court is likely to announce its ruling on Monday.

The court will have to decide whether US guarantees, provided on April 16, are enough. Previously, the US government sent official assurances to the court that "it will not demand capital punishment and carry it out."

In the US, Assange is accused of crimes, related to the largest case of leaked classified data in the US history. His charges combined carry up to 175 years in prison.

According to Stella Assange, the hearing may result in three ways. First, the court may decide to extradite Julian to the US. The defense is concerned that, in this case, the Australian can be secretly transported from a military airstrip within mere hours. In this case, the defense will try to emergency block the extradition through the European Court of Human rights.

Second, the court may take Assange’s side, beginning a new round of court proceedings in the UK, while Assange will remain in the Belmarsh prison. Third, the High Court may schedule additional hearing to discuss the essence of the appeal to the extradition order, issued in June, 2022. In this case, the journalist may even be released from the prison, Stella Assange said during a briefing for foreign reporters last week.

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United States United Kingdom Julian Assange

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