A British judge on Monday blocked the extradition of WikiLeaks
founder Julian Assange to the United States over the publication of
tens of thousands of leaked classified documents in 2010.
This is a recap of Assange’s long-running battle to avoid trial
in the US.
– Bombshell leak –
In one of the biggest leaks ever, Assange’s WikiLeaks
whistleblowing website releases 470,000 classified US military
documents between July and October 2010 relating to US diplomacy
and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
It later releases another batch of more than 250,000 classified
US diplomatic cables.
– Sex assault charges –
In November, a Swedish prosecutor issues a European arrest
warrant for Assange over sexual assault allegations involving two
women.
He denies the claims, saying they had consensual sex.
But he is arrested in London in December and released on bail a
week later.
– Embassy refuge –
In February 2011 a British judge rules that Assange can be
extradited to Sweden.
He launches an appeal, claiming the Swedish allegations are a
pretext to transfer him to the US.
In June 2012 Assange takes refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy.
Then ruled by left-wing president Rafael Correa, the South American
country grants him asylum in August.
In May 2017, Swedish prosecutors drop the sex assault
investigation.
In December, Ecuador grants Assange nationality but is blocked
by Britain from according him diplomatic status.
– Dragged out –
Ecuador — now ruled by right-wing President Lenin Moreno and
keen to court favour with Washington — says hosting Assange has
become “untenable” in January 2018.
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Tensions peak in April 2019 when Moreno says Assange has
“repeatedly violated” his asylum conditions.
Ecuador revokes his citizenship on April 10.
The next day, British police drag him out of the embassy on a US
extradition request.
In May, Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks in the high-security
Belmarsh prison in southeast London for having breached bail in
2010.
– US charges –
The US formally charges Assange on May 23 with violating the US
Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic secrets.
UN rights experts Nils Melzer says Assange had been subjected to
drawn-out “psychological torture” that has seriously affected his
health.
He makes his first appearance since being jailed on June 15,
telling a court via video link that WikiLeaks is “nothing but a
publisher”.
In subsequent appearances, he appears frail and confused.
– Swedish charge dropped –
On November 19, Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped the
rape case because “the evidence is not strong enough”.
– Extradition blocked –
A London court starts hearing the US extradition request on
February 24, 2020, but it is later postponed because of the
coronavirus pandemic.
In early July around 40 NGOs call for Assange’s release.
An Old Bailey judge rejected the extradition on Monday but the
US indicated that it would appeal the ruling