/ 20 February 2024

The final countdown for Assange

Image source: Getty
Image source: Getty

A hearing to determine whether Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the US kicks off today, but his wife Stella says she does “not have hope” it will succeed. The WikiLeaks founder will face London’s High Court in a last-ditch effort to stop him from facing espionage and hacking charges in the US, which could see him sentenced to 175 years in prison. It comes 14 years after the Aussie published shocking videos and sensitive documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. If Assange wins this round, his appeal will be heard (meaning he will stay in jail in the UK). If not, there’s always the European Court of Human Rights, but his team says he could be sent to the US before that is arranged. PM Albanese says he hopes the situation is “resolved amicably” after federal MPs passed a motion urging the US/UK to send him back to Australia ASAP.

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