Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved an order to extradite the founder of the WikiLeaks website Julian Assange to the United States.
Under the 2003 Act, the Home Secretary is bound by law to sign the order.
“On 17 June, following consideration by both the Magistrates Court and High Court, the extradition of Mr Julian Assange to the US was ordered. Mr Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal,” said a spokesperson for the Home Office.
The US accused Assange of leaking thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.
His wife, Stella Assange said they would use every avenue to appeal, but the legal reality is that his options are narrowing.
“We’re going to fight this. We’re going to use every appeal avenue,” the wife said.
“I’m going to spend every waking hour fighting for Julian until he is free, until justice is served.”
One of the grounds for appeal Assange’s legal team wants to make is that he is a journalist, which according to their argument means the US extradition request is an attack on freedom of speech.
The argument against it is that Assange disclosed the classified information and informants’ names, and that is why the US wants him.
In case of losing an appeal in the UK, Assange could turn to the European Court of Human Rights, although their view on this type of extradition is that people like him can be sent to America.
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