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Julian Assange leaving court. PA

Appeal against decision not to extradite Julian Assange reaches UK High Court

Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison since 2019.

A LEGAL CHALLENGE by the United States over a judge’s decision not to extradite Julian Assange has reached the UK High Court.

The US government is appealing against a decision in January not to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to face espionage charges in America.

Assange is wanted in the US on allegations of a conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

However, after a multi-week extradition hearing last year, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange should not to be sent to the US, citing a real risk of suicide.

The US government was previously allowed to appeal against the district judge’s decision on some of its grounds, which Assange’s legal team previously described as “narrow, technical grounds”.

Today’s hearing is expected to be a further application by the US authorities to expand on the basis that can be used to appeal against the decision not to extradite the 50-year-old.

The preliminary hearing is due to last around two hours.

Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison since 2019 after he was carried out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London by police before being arrested for breaching his bail conditions.

He had entered the building in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex offence allegations, which he has always denied and were eventually dropped.

Ahead of today’s hearing, Assange’s partner Stella Moris visited him in prison yesterday and appealed to US President Joe Biden to drop the case.

She told the PA news agency: “This is a dark legacy that Biden is making his own unless he reverses course and that has to be done.”

Stella Moris said her partner, who she has two children with, was a “fighter” and has battled through “some very dark moments” during his time in prison.

Today’s hearing before Lord Justice Holroyde and Mrs Justice Farbey is due to start at 10.30am.

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    Mute Mia Morrissey
    Favourite Mia Morrissey
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    Jun 15th 2018, 10:39 AM

    Heartbreaking. RIP .

    262
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    Mute Eugene Comaskey
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    Jun 15th 2018, 10:50 AM

    More terrible news, very sad for his triplet sisters and parents. This is happening much too often now, just last weekend another young man died in Cyprus. They really need to be much more careful, it cause untold sorrow for far too many. RIP young lads. Others planning on holidays ,please, please be careful out there.

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    Mute Trish O'Leary-Dunne
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    Jun 15th 2018, 10:39 AM

    This is so horrific.Poor guy just going to have some fun with his mates.My heart goes out to his family especially his sisters.RIP

    161
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    Mute Angel River
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:32 AM

    I think the Lower the age the lower the floor your put on. For teens anyhow.

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    Mute Mark English
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:42 AM

    This is becoming so common in island getaways the Spanish even have a word for it. It’s quite sad really. Link below.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balconing

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    Mute Cheryl Mellett
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:51 AM

    These resorts need to take every measure to ensure this stops happening. So any lives have been lost on those balconies. A childhood friend lost his life a few years ago and my sister’s friend also died leaning over trying to get someone’s attention too. They need to be enclosed so that air and light can get in but people can’t get out either intentionally or accidentally. Unfortunately people can get very brave and silly when you are going and under the influence as happens quite often in holiday resorts. Condolences to this poor lads family. Tragic this has happened.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:25 AM

    Too sad. RIP.

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    Mute June Rose-Sommer
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:34 AM

    Absolutely tragic and heartbreaking!! My condolences to his family. R.I.P young man. No parents should ever have to bury their children!!

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    Mute Mark English
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:42 AM

    This is becoming so common in island getaways the Spanish even have a word for it. It’s quite sad really.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balconing

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    Mute Dexter
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    Jun 15th 2018, 3:02 PM

    @Mark English: Who said this young man jumped ? reported as a fall.

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    Mute Paula Doran
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    Jun 15th 2018, 3:16 PM

    @Dexter: tbf it’s almost impossible to fall off most balconies unless you’re climbing or jumping.

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    Mute Sean Leonard
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    Jun 15th 2018, 11:30 AM

    Too young to die…. RIP young man

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    Mute Tom's
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    Jun 16th 2018, 5:25 AM

    Leaving cert holidays should be banned or parents shouldn’t let them go far too many tragic accidents.Too much exposure to drink and drugs and influence of peer pressure is lethal as a lot of people this age are very immature.

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    Paul
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    Mute Paul
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    Jun 16th 2018, 2:53 PM

    Every parents nightmare. Rip.

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