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Julian Assange Appeal

December 6, 2011 by · Comments Off on Julian Assange Appeal 

Julian Assange AppealJulian Assange Appeal, The WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has been given permission to continue his legal battle to Britain’s Supreme Court to avoid extradition to Sweden over alleged sex offences.

Julian Assange entered the Royal Court of Justice on Monday morning with the knowledge that within 24 hours he could well have been on a plane to Sweden. However, as he left court he was greeted with cheers from supporters after being granted permission to apply to Britain’s Supreme Court in a bid to stay in the UK. The whistleblower faces extradition to Sweden. Now he has 14 days to submit a written request rather than a direct appeal to the Supreme Court, as he still has no automatic right to be heard in the UK’s highest court. Assange was arrested in London last year after the Swedish authorities issued a European arrest warrant accusing him of rape and molestation following encounters with two Swedish women in August 2010. After being released on bail, he lost a High Court battle last month to be extradited over sex offences, which he denies. Assange’s legal team has claimed that his life would be in danger if he’s extradited to Sweden, saying he could face rendition from there to the US, where calls have been made for his arrest on grounds of national security after thousands of leaked US embassy cables were published on WikiLeaks.

Earlier on Monday, Israel Shamir, a friend and supporter of Assange, spoke to Tim about whistleblower’s legal battle. Tim first asked Shamir what he felt was the significance of today’s decision.

“It means that e battle of Julian Assange for his freedom can go on. We were all very anxious and then there was a thought that he will be just today gerrymandered to a plane and sent to Sweden. But in a way the danger of an immediate extradition seems to have faded away.”

It’s reported widely in the British media about the potential extradition. Is it that we doubt the integrity of the Swedish legal system? Or is it the fact that Sweden is likelier to give him over to the US? I think that’s the bigger picture, isn’t it?

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