WikiLeaks has said on Twitter that the confinement conditions of Julian Assange are hindering his ability to prepare for his US extradition case.
Earlier, WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said that Assange had been denied correspondence, granted only two social visits per month, and was generally being held under conditions of increased isolation.
Assange, who has served his sentence for breaching bail conditions and was supposed to be released on 22 September, will remain in prison due to District Judge Vanessa Baraitser’s belief that he could “abscond again” upon release.
The WikiLeaks founder was arrested in London on 11 April and thereafter sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail back in 2012, when he claimed asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden over sexual assault charges, which the whistle-blower himself has repeatedly denied, and possibly being sent to the United States.
After Assange’s arrest, Washington filed a relevant request asking London to extradite the WikiLeaks founder. Once the request is approved, Assange could face up to 175 years in US prison for leaking classified government data.
On 13 June, UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that he had signed a US request for Assange’s extradition. It is now up to the court to decide whether the whistle-blower will be extradited. The relevant hearing is scheduled to take place in February 2020.
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