The US government presented its arguments on the second day of the hearing on the possible extradition of whistleblower Julian Assange. Assange harmed US security and intelligence services by publishing confidential documents, said US attorney Clair Dobbin at the High Court in London. In addition, the WikiLeaks founder had “created a serious and imminent danger” that could affect innocent people. Assange “did significantly more” than a journalist gathering information, she added.
The whistleblower did not attend the hearing in London on Wednesday. According to his lawyer, he is not following the proceedings via video due to illness.
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The judges are to decide whether Assange still has the right to appeal against extradition to the USA in Great Britain. It is unclear when the court will make a decision.
Supporters speak of a politically motivated trial
Assange’s supporters described him as an investigative journalist who exposed wrongdoing by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is protected by the freedom of speech and press guaranteed in the US Constitution. They look at the
Law enforcement as politically motivated.
Family and supporters pointed out that Assange had suffered mentally and physically from the legal problems of the past few years. His wife Stella Assange said her husband would die if he was sent to the US.
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Assange’s supporters gathered again in front of the courthouse in London and called for his release.
Federal government criticizes US understanding of law
The federal government has also expressed its concerns about the possible extradition of Assange to the USA. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said that there were discrepancies between the German legal understanding and “the legal understanding of the United States of America.” She referred to the common practice in Germany of weighing up freedom of the press and the accusation of betrayal of secrets. This different position will be communicated “very clearly and very clearly” to both American and British partners. The points for which Assange is accused in the USA are not punishable in Germany.
Australian citizen Assange is charged in the US with 17 counts of espionage and one count of misuse of a computer. The background is the publication of confidential diplomatic and military documents via the disclosure platform WikiLeaks.
Assange’s lawyers argued that American authorities wanted to punish Assange because WikiLeaks exposed U.S. government crimes on an unprecedented scale, including torture and killings. They also pointed out that Assange could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted.
The US government presented its arguments on the second day of the hearing on the possible extradition of whistleblower Julian Assange. Assange harmed US security and intelligence services by publishing confidential documents, said US attorney Clair Dobbin at the High Court in London. In addition, the WikiLeaks founder had “created a serious and imminent danger” that could affect innocent people. Assange “did significantly more” than a journalist gathering information, she added.