British court refuses to extradite Julian Assange to US

A London court has refused to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States.

The court noted that extradition to the United States and subsequent detention in solitary confinement could pose a threat to the life of Assange, who has been diagnosed with clinical depression and suicidal tendencies.

Assange will remain in custody for now — the US has already said it intends to appeal the court's decision. A decision on whether to release him on bail pending the appeal will be made on January 6.

• Assange has been in custody in London since April 2019. Before that, he lived in the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years, which granted him political asylum. Assange took refuge in the embassy because at that time a British court was considering a request to extradite him to Sweden: there he was accused of rape, but the WikiLeaks founder himself believed that Sweden actually intended to extradite him to the United States in the future. While Assange was hiding in the embassy, ​​the statute of limitations on the Swedish charges expired.
• Assange's extradition hearings to the United States began in May 2020. Prior to that, the WikiLeaks founder was serving a 50-week prison sentence for his 2012 escape to the embassy, ​​in violation of his bail conditions.
• In the US, Assange faces up to 175 years in prison. He is charged with illegally obtaining and publishing classified information (17 counts, up to 10 years in prison for each) and conspiracy to commit computer hacking (up to 5 years in prison).