London: Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange He is facing extradition to the United States for the 2010 publication of thousands of leaked confidential documents after the British government approved his extradition on Friday.
Here is a timeline of the events leading up to the decision.
– 2010: Assault allegations – Assange’s WikiLeaks whistleblowing website begins releasing 470,000 US classified military documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in July 2010.
The site later released another batch of over 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables.
In November, a Swedish prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault charges involving two women.
They denied the claims, saying they had consensual sex, but were arrested after reporting to the police. London In December. A week later he was released on bail.
– 2012: Embassy asylum – In February 2011, a British judge ruled that Assange could be extradited to Sweden.
He appealed, claiming the Swedish allegations were an excuse to transfer him to the US to face charges of publishing military files.
In June 2012, he took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Ecuador, then ruled by leftist President Rafael Correa, shelters them in August.
In May 2017, Swedish prosecutors dropped a sexual assault investigation after failing to obtain Assange’s transfer.
In December, Ecuador granted Assange nationality, but Britain barred him from granting diplomatic status.
– 2019: arrest, prison – In January 2018, Ecuador, now ruled by right-wing President Lenin Moreno, says hosting Assange has become “untenable”.
In March it temporarily cut its communication links. Tensions peaked in April 2019 when Moreno says Assange has “repeatedly violated” the conditions of his asylum.
Ecuador revoked his citizenship on 10 April.
The next day, British police pulled Assange out of the embassy after taking him back asylum. He has been arrested on an extradition request from the US.
In May, Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail in 2010.
The legal process for her extradition to the US begins, and Swedish prosecutors have resumed the rape investigation.
– US Charges – On May 23, the US Department of Justice accused Assange of violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010.
If convicted, he faces up to 175 years in prison.
UN rights expert Nils Melzer says Assange has been subjected to “psychological torture”, which has seriously affected his health.
Assange appeared in court for the first time since being jailed via video-link on June 15. After this, he looks weak and confused.
– 2020: Trump’s claim – In the February court hearing, Assange’s lawyers claimed that the then US President Donald Trump He promised an apology to her for refusing to leak hurtful emails about Hillary Clinton before the 2016 presidential election.
white House Denies the claim.
– Swedish charge dropped – On 19 November, Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape investigation because “the evidence is not strong enough” despite her alleged victim’s “credible” claims.
– 2021: Victory, then shock – Assange’s supporters celebrate in January after a London court halted his extradition on the grounds that he would be at risk of suicide if sent to the US.
But the whistleblower is still behind bars, with a High Court appeal overturning the verdict and sending the case back to the original court after the US promised he would not be kept in isolation in US prisons and receive appropriate medical treatment.
– 2022: Appeal allowed – Judges allow Assange to appeal in January, offering a glimmer of hope. but on March 14 Supreme court refused to hear his appeal. A week later he married Stella Morris at Belmarsh High Security Prison.
On 17 June, London approved his extradition – prompting WikiLeaks to criticize the decision as “political” and “a dark day for press freedom and British democracy”.
Here is a timeline of the events leading up to the decision.
– 2010: Assault allegations – Assange’s WikiLeaks whistleblowing website begins releasing 470,000 US classified military documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in July 2010.
The site later released another batch of over 250,000 classified US diplomatic cables.
In November, a Swedish prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault charges involving two women.
They denied the claims, saying they had consensual sex, but were arrested after reporting to the police. London In December. A week later he was released on bail.
– 2012: Embassy asylum – In February 2011, a British judge ruled that Assange could be extradited to Sweden.
He appealed, claiming the Swedish allegations were an excuse to transfer him to the US to face charges of publishing military files.
In June 2012, he took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Ecuador, then ruled by leftist President Rafael Correa, shelters them in August.
In May 2017, Swedish prosecutors dropped a sexual assault investigation after failing to obtain Assange’s transfer.
In December, Ecuador granted Assange nationality, but Britain barred him from granting diplomatic status.
– 2019: arrest, prison – In January 2018, Ecuador, now ruled by right-wing President Lenin Moreno, says hosting Assange has become “untenable”.
In March it temporarily cut its communication links. Tensions peaked in April 2019 when Moreno says Assange has “repeatedly violated” the conditions of his asylum.
Ecuador revoked his citizenship on 10 April.
The next day, British police pulled Assange out of the embassy after taking him back asylum. He has been arrested on an extradition request from the US.
In May, Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail in 2010.
The legal process for her extradition to the US begins, and Swedish prosecutors have resumed the rape investigation.
– US Charges – On May 23, the US Department of Justice accused Assange of violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010.
If convicted, he faces up to 175 years in prison.
UN rights expert Nils Melzer says Assange has been subjected to “psychological torture”, which has seriously affected his health.
Assange appeared in court for the first time since being jailed via video-link on June 15. After this, he looks weak and confused.
– 2020: Trump’s claim – In the February court hearing, Assange’s lawyers claimed that the then US President Donald Trump He promised an apology to her for refusing to leak hurtful emails about Hillary Clinton before the 2016 presidential election.
white House Denies the claim.
– Swedish charge dropped – On 19 November, Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape investigation because “the evidence is not strong enough” despite her alleged victim’s “credible” claims.
– 2021: Victory, then shock – Assange’s supporters celebrate in January after a London court halted his extradition on the grounds that he would be at risk of suicide if sent to the US.
But the whistleblower is still behind bars, with a High Court appeal overturning the verdict and sending the case back to the original court after the US promised he would not be kept in isolation in US prisons and receive appropriate medical treatment.
– 2022: Appeal allowed – Judges allow Assange to appeal in January, offering a glimmer of hope. but on March 14 Supreme court refused to hear his appeal. A week later he married Stella Morris at Belmarsh High Security Prison.
On 17 June, London approved his extradition – prompting WikiLeaks to criticize the decision as “political” and “a dark day for press freedom and British democracy”.