The WikiLeaks founder was allowed to appeal his extradition on Monday in London.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside of the courts in London as a 13-year legal battle ensued inside for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange allegedly spying in the U.S. People with bullhorns shouted.
They held signs reading « Assange goes, free speech and the truth go with him » and jail time is « for war crimes not for whistleblows. »
A child even made a sign out of Lego blocks.
Assange, 52, won the right to appeal his extradition to the U.S. on Monday at London’s High Court. He faces charges related to WikiLeaks’ publication of classified documents.
The Australian editor has been held in high-security custody in a London prison since 2019.
Assange, who was born Julian Paul Hawkins and has been hacking since he was at least 16, told the court he might not be able to rely on his right to free speech at a trial in the U.S., according to Reuters. Two judges at the High Court gave Assange permission to appeal in order to hear his argument.
The crowd of demonstrators outside cheered.
Assange’s legal team said if he lost, he would be on a plane to the U.S. within 24 hours, according to Reuters.
His lawyer Edward Fitzgerald has said Assange would not face the death penalty because the U.S. had provided an « unambiguous promise not to charge any capital offense. »
U.S. prosecutor James Lewis has said Assange would not be discriminated against in a hearing.What is WikiLeaks?
The media organization was founded in Australia in 2006 to leak documents. The non-profit has been funded by donations and media partnerships. Assange was allegedly inspired by Daniel Ellsberg’s release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971.
WikiLeaks describes itself as « an uncensorable system for untraceable mass document leaking » with the hope to « bring important news and information to the public. »
The website states it has released over 10 million documents. The most recent publication was in 2021.
