While this decision was overturned on appeal in December 2021, the extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the United States was authorized on Wednesday April 20 by British justice.
Made by Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the extradition order for the 50-year-old whistleblower will be subject to the approval of UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.
If the latter validates the order, the defense lawyers will have the possibility of a final remedy by appealing the decision to the High Court.
A potential sentence of 175 years in prison
Prosecuted by the United States for having made public since 2010 more than 700,000 classified documents on American military and diplomatic activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Australian journalist could receive a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.
Accused of espionage by the US government, he was arrested in April 2019, after seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
On March 14, the British Supreme Court refused to consider his appeal concerning his extradition.
