Reporters Without Borders Demands Closing Assange Extradition Case Ahead Of New Hearing
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published October 27, 2021 | 12:10 AM
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday called on the UK High Court to close the extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and release him, ahead of a new appeal hearing.
From October 27-28, the UK High Court is scheduled to consider the US government's appeal against a London court decision opposing Assange's extradition to the US on health grounds.
"We again emphasize our position: that Assange has been targeted for his contributions to journalism, ... and that the case should be closed and he should be immediately released," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said as quoted in the NGO's press release.
On Tuesday, the majority of NGO observers and journalists were still waiting for permission to attend the hearing in person or via video link. RSF's observers were also awaiting accreditation from the British court.
"We have faced more difficulties in accessing proceedings in the case of Julian Assange than we have in any other case, in any other country. We are extremely frustrated by the barriers to access we continue to face on the eve of the most important hearing to date in this case," RSF Director of International Campaigns, Rebecca Vincent said as quoted by the NGO.
The NGO claims to be the only one to be monitoring the extradition proceedings, despite obstacles and restrictions imposed by the UK court.
In October, RSF joined 24 other press freedom, civil liberty and international human rights organizations, in signing a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the the US Department of Justice to drop its charges against Assange.
Assange was arrested in London on April 11, 2019, and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail in 2012, when he took refuge inside the Ecuadorean embassy in the British capital to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was facing sexual assault charges that were later dropped by a Swedish court.
The whistleblower is wanted by the US on espionage charges after WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents that shed light on war crimes committed by American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He faces up to 175 years in solitary confinement inside a top security American prison if convicted in the US.
Back in January, a UK district judge ruled against extraditing Assange to the US, citing his health and the risk of suicide in the US prison system. The judge, however, decided that he must wait in prison for the outcome of a US appeal hearing.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
PTI to stage nationwide protests against alleged electoral frauds
Senate continues discussion on Presidential address to Joint Sitting of Parliame ..
Masood Khan calls for Pak-US cooperation for regional peace
Interior Minister starts Margalla Trail Patrol for security
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 26 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 26 April 2024
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
More Stories From World
-
Pilot seriously injured after vintage plane crash in Western Australia
11 minutes ago -
Iron ore futures close higher
22 minutes ago -
Tabloid head wanted to 'protect' Trump from salacious stories
22 minutes ago -
Kenyan rugby player turned TikTok star cooks to fight depression
32 minutes ago -
Guangdong carbon market closes higher
32 minutes ago -
Sugar futures close higher
32 minutes ago
-
Nuggets push Lakers to brink as Embiid's 50 points lead Sixers over Knicks
41 minutes ago -
China high-tech capacity exposes overcapacity mantra in green energy
52 minutes ago -
Golf: PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans scores
1 hour ago -
Cybersecurity firm Darktrace accepts $5 bn takeover
1 hour ago -
Clean energy drives massive BHP takeover bid
2 hours ago -
Copper price tops $10,000 for first time in two years
2 hours ago