‘Likely to commit suicide’: UK decide blocks extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

A British decide has rejected the United States’ request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage fees, saying it might be “oppressive” due to his psychological well being.District Judge Vanessa Baraitser stated Monday Assange was more likely to commit suicide if despatched to the US.The US authorities stated it might attraction the choice.US prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage fees and one cost of pc misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked army and diplomatic paperwork a decade in the past. The fees carry a most sentence of 175 years in jail.Lawyers for the 49-year-old Australian argue that he was appearing as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment protections of freedom of speech for publishing leaked paperwork that uncovered US army wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.The decide rejected claims by the protection that Assange was protected by free-speech ensures, saying his “conduct, if proved, would therefore amount to offenses in this jurisdiction that would not be protected by his right to freedom of speech.”But she stated Assange suffered from medical melancholy that will be exacerbated by the isolation he would seemingly face in US jail.The decide stated Assange had the “intellect and determination” to avoid any suicide prevention measures the authorities may take.