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UK judge blocks US request to extradite Julian Assange

Monday, 04 January 2021 9:42 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 04 January 2021 10:07 PM ]

Ahmed Kaballo
Press TV, London

After months of deliberation and witness statements and arguments made for against his extradition, the day of reckoning arrived when the world would finally know the fate of Julian Assange the co-founder of WikiLeaks.

Would he or would he not be extradited to the united states where he could face up to 175 years in a u.s supermax prison under special administrative measures, that was the question on everyone's mind as the waited for the verdict.

So naturally, there was a big sigh of relief from Assange's supporters when British Judge Vanessa Baraitser rule against his extradition. A decision the u.s prosecutors will certainly appeal.

Since languishing in one of the UK's most notorious prisons, in solitary confinement, after being forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy, supporters of Julian Assange hoped and prayed the courts would side with their position but nonetheless, the verdict delivered still came as a huge surprise. Yet for those closest to Julian there was still room for concern.

According to Rebecca Vincent from Reporters Without Borders the judges comments still left space for journalists reporting British and American war crimes to be prosecuted going forward. Assange's case has been followed by people from around the world because of its significance and far reaching implications and although many are happy with the judge's ruling and ecstatic that Julian Assange will finally be reunited with his family.

There was still a feeling that although an important battle had been won, the fight to protect press freedoms and the right to expose US war crimes and crimes against humanity was far from over.

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