US tells British judge it’s likely Assange will get the death penalty

Julian Assange’s prosecution admitted this to British High Court Judge Adam Johnson There is no mechanism in the American justice system to protect journalists from the death penalty. This has been confirmed public Sources present at the hearing taking place this Wednesday in London.

This is the US representation’s response to a question asked by a British judge If the crime of treason is considered in the Espionage Act Americans – One of the 18 charges that Assange would face if extradited to the US – Can the death penalty be imposed and can they ensure that the founder of WikiLeaks will not receive such punishment. Prosecution lawyers have been forced to deny both scenarios.

“Under the facts the issue (of the death penalty) does not arise,” Smith told the court. Julian’s lawyers told the court yesterday that his charges in the US could be amended, resulting in him facing the death penalty. Could.

Still, the USG refused to provide assurances that…

– Free Assange – #FreeAssange (@FreeAssangeNews) 21 February 2024

Assange likely to be sentenced to death Refutes the guarantees given to Ecuador by the United Kingdom in 2019, in which he promised not to extradite the journalist to a country where the said punishment could be imposed on him. In 2020, Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the British Foreign Office in Ecuador, simon macdonaldAssured that “What we said is that we would never extradite Mr. Assange if there was any risk that he would face the death penalty.”

It also creates inconsistency with the argument given by the US in 2021, when it assured London that will protect Assange’s integrity and physical and psychological well-being During the judicial process in your area and the subsequent sentencing. it The endorsement was what allowed the British judge to greenlight the delivery Of the journalist who was initially rejected for humanitarian reasons.

Following judicial authorization, the then Minister of the Interior of the United Kingdom, Preeti PatelApproved the extradition of Julian Assange to US territory.

The Australian’s delicate state of health and the possibility that his conditions of captivity in the United States had worsened them were one of several Arguments in his defense – the grounds of appeal – were presented to block extradition

, All arguments except humanitarian ones were rejected by various British judicial authorities.

This 20 and 21 February, Assange’s defense has once again submitted eight points of appeal to the British Court of Justice to prevent extradition, in which it would Last chance to stop it in national jurisdiction,

If any of these eight points are approved for processing Handing Assange over to US authorities would cause a temporary halt. At least, until the British justice system studied the merits of these arguments and ruled on the case.

Conversely, if none of them are charged in the proceedings, Assange’s fate would be in the hands of the European Court of Human Rights, to which the defense would appeal his extradition.

At the moment, two judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom are in charge of studying the points of argument, Victoria Sharp And adam johnsonIt has been decided to take a decision in the coming days.