Julian Assange loses his appeal against extradition to the US on espionage ... trends now
Julian Assange has lost his appeal against extradition to the US on espionage charges.
The judgment was handed down privately on Monday at the High Court.
WikiLeaks founder Assange, 51, launched the appeal last June after then-Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an order authorizing his removal.
Yesterday his wife Stella said that he will appeal the decision. It will be Assange's last chance to overturn the ruling before his options in the UK courts are exhausted.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation said it was 'highly disappointed by the UK High Court's rejection of Julian Assange's appeal of his extradition to the United States on Espionage Act charges.'
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 51, launched the appeal last June after then-Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an order authorizing his removal
Stella Assange, wife of imprisoned journalist and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, speaks during the Free Assange Quad Rally last month in Sydney, Australia
Director of Advocacy Seth Stern said: 'The idea of Assange or anyone being tried in a U.S. court for obtaining and publishing confidential documents the same way investigative reporters do every day should be terrifying to all Americans.
'If (President Joe) Biden lets this case proceed, future administrations will surely use the precedent of the Assange prosecution, and the unconstitutional authority to criminalize newsgathering that Biden is claiming, to go after journalists they don't like.
'It's time for Biden to drop this case and show the world he's serious about press freedom.'
There is still a chance that his extradition could be blocked by a last minute intervention from judges in Europe.
In December, Assange appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.
To halt his extradition now, the European Court would have to issue an emergency injunction known as a Rule 39 order.
This allows a judge to
