LONDON (AP) — A British judge on Monday rejected the United States’ request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage charges, saying he was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions.
In a mixed ruling for Assange and his supporters, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected defense arguments that the 49-year-old Australian faces a politically motivated American prosecution that rides roughshod over free-speech protections. But she said Assange’s precarious mental health would likely deteriorate further under the conditions of “near total isolation” he would face in a U.S. prison.
“I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America,” the judge said.
A British judge ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States to face criminal charges, saying his mental health problems meant he would be at risk of suicide https://t.co/6RFO2wO6c1 pic.twitter.com/YFY8gpSVck
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 4, 2021
