In the legal tug-of-war over Julian Assange's extradition to the United States, the Wikileaks founder's extradition to the United States is one step closer.
Westminster Magistrates Court issued the formal extradition order in London on Wednesday.
This will now go to British Home Secretary Priti Patel for a final decision.
However, Assange's lawyers have four weeks to present further grounds for objection.
A further course in court is not excluded.
The American judiciary wants to put Assange on trial for allegations of espionage.
He faces up to 175 years in prison if convicted.
He is accused of having stolen and published secret material from American military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan together with whistleblower Chelsea Manning, thereby endangering the lives of American informants.
His supporters, on the other hand, see him as an investigative journalist who has brought war crimes to light and who is now to be made an example of.
The legal dispute over a possible extradition to the United States has been going on for around two years.
The High Court agreed.
An appeal against this was dismissed by the highest British court, the Supreme Court, as inadmissible.
The organization Reporters Without Borders called for the release of the Wikileaks founder.
"We are calling on the Home Secretary to act in accordance with Britain's commitment to defending press freedom and refuse extradition," said the organisation's London representative, Rebecca Vincent.
Assange, who has been imprisoned for more than three years, must be released from prison immediately.
The case of the 50-year-old had once again become a political decision.