This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/julian-assange-fights-extradition-to-the-united-states-in-court/2020/02/23/7389ad1a-54f5-11ea-80ce-37a8d4266c09_story.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Julian Assange fights extradition to the United States in court | Julian Assange fights extradition to the United States in court |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| LONDON — The long-running legal drama of Julian Assange opened a portentous new chapter on Monday, when the WikiLeaks founder and his lawyers entered Woolwich Crown Court to formally contest his extradition to the United States. | |
| The court sits beside the gray walls of Britain’s high-security Belmarsh Prison, Assange’s home since he was dragged by police from the Ecuadoran Embassy in central London in April. | The court sits beside the gray walls of Britain’s high-security Belmarsh Prison, Assange’s home since he was dragged by police from the Ecuadoran Embassy in central London in April. |
| Originally, Assange hid out at the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where police were investigating a rape allegation against him. That case has been dropped. | Originally, Assange hid out at the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where police were investigating a rape allegation against him. That case has been dropped. |
| Now, U.S. prosecutors want the 48-year-old Australian to stand trial in federal court in northern Virginia on charges that he violated the Espionage Act. Prosecutors allege that the anti-secrecy activist helped obtain and disseminate hundreds of thousands of pages of secret military documents and diplomatic cables regarding American action in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to prosecutors, Assange helped former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning hack into government computers. | Now, U.S. prosecutors want the 48-year-old Australian to stand trial in federal court in northern Virginia on charges that he violated the Espionage Act. Prosecutors allege that the anti-secrecy activist helped obtain and disseminate hundreds of thousands of pages of secret military documents and diplomatic cables regarding American action in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to prosecutors, Assange helped former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning hack into government computers. |
| If found guilty of the 18 charges in U.S. court, Assange would face up to 175 years prison. His supporters fear he would be forced to serve any sentence in the supermax federal facility in Florence, Colo., in solitary confinement, beside al-Qaeda terrorists, the Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, and Robert Hanssen, the former FBI agent who spied for Soviet and Russian intelligence services against the United States. | If found guilty of the 18 charges in U.S. court, Assange would face up to 175 years prison. His supporters fear he would be forced to serve any sentence in the supermax federal facility in Florence, Colo., in solitary confinement, beside al-Qaeda terrorists, the Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, and Robert Hanssen, the former FBI agent who spied for Soviet and Russian intelligence services against the United States. |
| Assange’s extradition proceedings are to be divided into two parts: this first week of legal arguments, followed by two or three more weeks of witness testimony in May. | Assange’s extradition proceedings are to be divided into two parts: this first week of legal arguments, followed by two or three more weeks of witness testimony in May. |
| In pretrial hearings, Assange’s lawyers signaled that they will argue their client acted as nothing more nefarious than publisher and journalist — and that the prosecution is politically motivated, which should make extradition unlawful. | In pretrial hearings, Assange’s lawyers signaled that they will argue their client acted as nothing more nefarious than publisher and journalist — and that the prosecution is politically motivated, which should make extradition unlawful. |
| To bolster that assertion, Assange lawyer Mark Summers has accused the Central Intelligence Agency of spying on Assange, via a Spanish proxy, in the Ecuadoran embassy. Further, Summers has asserted a link between the “reinvigoration of the investigation” against Assange and Donald Trump’s presidency. | To bolster that assertion, Assange lawyer Mark Summers has accused the Central Intelligence Agency of spying on Assange, via a Spanish proxy, in the Ecuadoran embassy. Further, Summers has asserted a link between the “reinvigoration of the investigation” against Assange and Donald Trump’s presidency. |
| “This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers,” Summers told the court last year. “The American state has been actively engaged in intruding on privileged discussions between Mr. Assange and his lawyer.” | “This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers,” Summers told the court last year. “The American state has been actively engaged in intruding on privileged discussions between Mr. Assange and his lawyer.” |
| Last week, Assange’s legal team again invoked Trump. A lawyer told the court that former Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an ally of the president, offered a pardon to Assange on Trump’s behalf if the WikiLeaks founder would say Russia had nothing to do with the 2016 hack and leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee. | Last week, Assange’s legal team again invoked Trump. A lawyer told the court that former Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an ally of the president, offered a pardon to Assange on Trump’s behalf if the WikiLeaks founder would say Russia had nothing to do with the 2016 hack and leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee. |
| White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham called the suggestion of a pardon offer “a complete fabrication and a total lie.” | White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham called the suggestion of a pardon offer “a complete fabrication and a total lie.” |
| In a statement, Rohrabacher said he visited Assange in 2017 as a part his “own fact finding mission at personal expense,” but “at no time did I offer Julian Assange anything from the President because I had not spoken with the President about this issue at all.” | In a statement, Rohrabacher said he visited Assange in 2017 as a part his “own fact finding mission at personal expense,” but “at no time did I offer Julian Assange anything from the President because I had not spoken with the President about this issue at all.” |
| The anger generated over the release of the DNC emails, and the idea that Assange served as a kind of tool for Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, has led many potential supporters to keep him at arm’s length. He has not, however, been charged with crimes related to that incident. | The anger generated over the release of the DNC emails, and the idea that Assange served as a kind of tool for Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election, has led many potential supporters to keep him at arm’s length. He has not, however, been charged with crimes related to that incident. |
| Experts in British extradition law say Assange’s lawyers face a tough task. | Experts in British extradition law say Assange’s lawyers face a tough task. |
| Nick Vamos, a former head of extradition at Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, said the most interesting plank in Assange’s argument is the one about political motivation. It’s an argument the British courts are familiar with — just not in relation to requests from the United States. | Nick Vamos, a former head of extradition at Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, said the most interesting plank in Assange’s argument is the one about political motivation. It’s an argument the British courts are familiar with — just not in relation to requests from the United States. |
| “There is a very, very high degree of mutual trust and deference between two friendly nations,” Vamos said. “So it takes an awful lot to persuade a U.K. court” that the U.S. system isn’t fundamentally fair, “however much political intrigue is swirling around.” | “There is a very, very high degree of mutual trust and deference between two friendly nations,” Vamos said. “So it takes an awful lot to persuade a U.K. court” that the U.S. system isn’t fundamentally fair, “however much political intrigue is swirling around.” |
| This is in contrast to extradition cases to nations such as Russia, Vamos said, “where U.K. courts are actually quite ready to accept that somebody might not get a fair trial because Putin or his cronies have got it in for them.” | This is in contrast to extradition cases to nations such as Russia, Vamos said, “where U.K. courts are actually quite ready to accept that somebody might not get a fair trial because Putin or his cronies have got it in for them.” |
| The British court is not being asked to rule on Assange’s ultimate guilt or innocence of hacking or espionage, only whether the American request to transfer him to the United States to stand trial should be honored. | The British court is not being asked to rule on Assange’s ultimate guilt or innocence of hacking or espionage, only whether the American request to transfer him to the United States to stand trial should be honored. |
| Over the weekend, several hundred people, including Pink Floyd bass player Roger Waters and the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, rallied in Parliament Square, urging the British government to block Assange’s extradition. | Over the weekend, several hundred people, including Pink Floyd bass player Roger Waters and the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, rallied in Parliament Square, urging the British government to block Assange’s extradition. |
| One of the leaders of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, John McDonnell, has also offered his support, visiting Assange for two hours last week. McDonnell told reporters, “This is one of the most important and significant political trials of this generation, in fact longer.” | One of the leaders of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, John McDonnell, has also offered his support, visiting Assange for two hours last week. McDonnell told reporters, “This is one of the most important and significant political trials of this generation, in fact longer.” |
| McDonnell said Assange was being persecuted “for simply exposing the truth for what went on in relation to recent wars.” | McDonnell said Assange was being persecuted “for simply exposing the truth for what went on in relation to recent wars.” |
| The use of the Espionage Act in the Assange case is seen by some as opening a door to the potential prosecution of journalists for publishing classified government secrets. | The use of the Espionage Act in the Assange case is seen by some as opening a door to the potential prosecution of journalists for publishing classified government secrets. |
| James Goodale, who defended the New York Times during the “Pentagon Papers” case in 1971, said he hoped Assange would not be extradited to the United States, where his case could prove “very damaging” to First Amendment protections for journalists. | James Goodale, who defended the New York Times during the “Pentagon Papers” case in 1971, said he hoped Assange would not be extradited to the United States, where his case could prove “very damaging” to First Amendment protections for journalists. |
| The extradition case could drag on for months, perhaps even years. A court ruling could come in the summer, but there would be opportunities to appeal to higher courts and potentially the European Court of Human Rights. | The extradition case could drag on for months, perhaps even years. A court ruling could come in the summer, but there would be opportunities to appeal to higher courts and potentially the European Court of Human Rights. |
| Assange lawyer claims congressman offered pardon on behalf of Trump in exchange for absolving Russia in WikiLeaks DNC case | Assange lawyer claims congressman offered pardon on behalf of Trump in exchange for absolving Russia in WikiLeaks DNC case |
| The backstory behind Julian Assange’s claim he was offered a deal for a Trump pardon | The backstory behind Julian Assange’s claim he was offered a deal for a Trump pardon |
| Sweden drops investigation of rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange | Sweden drops investigation of rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange |
| WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange charged with violating Espionage Act | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange charged with violating Espionage Act |
| WikiLeaks’ Assange arrested in London, accused by U.S. of conspiring in 2010 computer hacking attempt | WikiLeaks’ Assange arrested in London, accused by U.S. of conspiring in 2010 computer hacking attempt |
| Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |
| Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news | Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news |