Democracy Dies in Darkness

Julian Assange can appeal U.S. extradition order, U.K. court rules

WikiLeaks founder Assange will not be whisked away by U.S. marshals but will remain in the high-security Belmarsh prison while challenging the extradition order.

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Updated May 20, 2024 at 12:26 p.m. EDT|Published May 20, 2024 at 8:21 a.m. EDT
Protesters hold placards outside the High Court in London on Monday. (Kin Cheung/AP)
5 min

LONDON — A pair of High Court judges in Britain granted Julian Assange permission to appeal his extradition to the United States, where he faces charges of espionage for releasing reams of sensitive military and diplomatic files via WikiLeaks in 2010.

It was a legal victory for Assange, as it meant that the 52-year-old WikiLeaks founder would not be whisked away by U.S. marshals. But he is set to remain in the high-security Belmarsh prison, on the outskirts of London, while his legal saga continues in Britain for more months.