London has approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States

American justice wants to try the founder of WikiLeaks for distributing more than 700,000 secret documents about American military and diplomatic activities, in particular, in Iraq and Afghanistan, since 2010. He faces one hundred and seventy-five years in prison.

The noose on Julian Assange is tightening. The British government has confirmed its intention to extradite the founder of WikiLeaks to the United States, where he is being prosecuted for the massive leak of confidential documents. «According to the Extradition Act of 2003, the Minister of State must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds for revoking the order», – a ministry spokesman said.

«In this case, the British courts did not consider the extradition of Mr. Assange repressive, unfair or [constituting] a procedural abuse. They also did not conclude that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and freedom of expression, and that, while in the United States, he would be treated appropriately, including with regard to his health», – the ministry spokesman said. A 50-year-old Australian can appeal within fourteen days.

Assange is claimed by the American justice system, which wants to try him for distributing more than 700,000 secret documents about American military and diplomatic activities, in particular, in Iraq and Afghanistan, since 2010. He faces one hundred and seventy-five years in prison. He was arrested in 2019 after spending more than seven years as a refugee at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

WikiLeaks immediately responded on Twitter: «The British Home Secretary [Priti Patel] approves the extradition of WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange to the United States, where he faces a sentence of one hundred and seventy-five years in prison. A black day for press freedom and British democracy. The decision will be appealed».