Today, 20th May 2024, the High Court of England and Wales is set to announce its decision on the fate of Australian journalist Julian Assange. The court will determine whether Assange will be extradited to the United States or if he will be granted another opportunity to appeal. The ruling, expected later this morning UK time, carries significant implications.
Assange is appealing against the UK Home Secretary’s decision to extradite him to the US to face charges related to publishing classified material exposing US war crimes. This legal battle, spanning over four years, could reach its conclusion today. Depending on the outcome, Assange could either be granted an appeal or face extradition to the US.
The High Court previously identified three potential grounds for Assange’s appeal, including concerns about his free speech rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and inadequate protection against the death penalty. Rather than immediately hearing the appeal, the High Court gave the US the chance to provide assurances regarding these issues.
On April 16th, the US provided assurances regarding the death penalty but did not address concerns about free speech protections. This has sparked criticism from Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, who expressed frustration at what she perceives as repeated attempts by the US government to secure Assange’s extradition.
“It seems like they (the US government) are given endless chances to change their case in order to get Julian extradited to face 175 for publishing evidence of US war crimes”, Stella comments.
Meanwhile, the documentary The Trust Fall: Julian Assange is currently screening in cinemas across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, including at ODEON, the UK’s largest cinema chain. The film, which has garnered attention from over 40,000 viewers and won multiple awards, delves into the significance of WikiLeaks‘ revelations and the broader issues surrounding press freedom.
Kym Staton, the Writer and director of The Trust Fall, emphasised the importance of Assange’s case in relation to free speech and press freedom. Staton, an expert on the topic, highlighted the significance of defending the right to disclose the truth about powerful entities and labelled the case a litmus test for censorship in the modern era.
