Julian Assange's hearing on his extradition to the United States will begin next week

Defenders of Julian Assange demonstrate in central London, May 2, 2019. REUTERS / Henry Nicholls

Text by: RFI Follow

The founder of WikiLeaks has been imprisoned in Belmarsh prison since his departure from the Embassy of Ecuador in April 2019. He had been convicted for violating his conditions of provisional release. This time, the United States accused him of spying. It is a trial which will begin next week in London and which is likely to be very long.

Publicity

Read more

With our correspondent in London, Chloé Goudenhooft

It is on the political issue of this audience that the team of Julian Assange wants to focus. Press freedom is questioned by Jennifer Robinson, lawyer and legal counsel to the founder of Wikileaks: " We can expect that there will be debates about the political nature of the offenses for which he has been charged." , the political nature of this lawsuit, in the context of Trump's war on journalism and the persecution of journalists in the United States, and what this precedent could mean for journalists and publishers around the world. "

This series of hearings is only the first, the whole procedure could be spread over years. " So after the first hearings there will be another round of hearings in May, where there will be testimony, but this process will surely take a long time," continues Jennifer Robinson. With appeal procedures, it is expected to take between two or three years, and possibly longer. "

If the state of health of Julian Assange could be worrying, Kristinn Hrafnsson, the editor of Wikileaks was reassuring: “ I saw him about ten days ago. He has improved. He came out of isolation in good health. He now has better access to his lawyer, even if it is not yet satisfactory today. "

Julian Assange is expected to appear in person at the hearings scheduled for next week.

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

subscribe

Download the app

google-play-badge_FR

  • Wikileaks
  • Justice
  • UK
  • United States

On the same subject

A week of news

Olivier Tesquet, co-author with Guillaume Ledit: "In the head of Julian Assange"

Sweden

Julian Assange rape lawsuits dropped in Sweden

Assange / WikiLeaks

CNN Says Julian Assange Influenced 2016 US Elections