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U.S. Officials Guarantee No Death Penalty for Julian Assange
It has been reported that U.S. officials have assured that Julian Assange will not face the death penalty if he is extradited from the UK to face charges related to his publication of sensitive documents. This promise comes after concerns raised by some in the British legal system who argue that sending Assange to the U.S., even with this assurance, would still be considered inhumane.
American officials from the U.S. embassy in London sent a note to their British counterparts addressing the potential fate of Assange upon extradition. This move aims to alleviate worries about the treatment Assange might receive in the U.S. should he be brought there to face prosecution.
Assange, the 52-year-old co-founder of WikiLeaks, is currently facing charges of computer hacking and espionage, originally brought by the Trump administration and continued under President Biden. Biden recently expressed openness to dropping the case against Assange, stating that the matter is under consideration.
Assurances Provided by U.S. Officials
The U.S. embassy’s note included two carefully-worded assurances regarding Assange’s potential trial and sentencing:
1. Assange will have the right to raise defenses under the First Amendment during his trial if extradited to the U.S. The determination of the applicability of the First Amendment rests with U.S. courts.
2. The U.S. assures that Assange will not face the death penalty, as he is not charged with any offense that carries such a sentence.
Julian Assange has been detained at Belmarsh Prison in London since 2019. A judge in the UK ruled against his extradition in 2021, citing concerns over the harsh conditions of the American prison system, Assange’s mental health, and the risk of suicide he may face if transferred.
The possibility of Assange being subjected to solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day in the U.S. pending trial has raised international condemnation of such practices as torture by other countries.
Response from Julian Assange’s Wife
Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, expressed dismay over the U.S. assurances, calling them “blatant weasel words” that do not guarantee her husband’s protection under the First Amendment as a foreign national. She remains deeply concerned about Julian’s future and the prospect of him spending the rest of his life in isolation in a U.S. prison.
Legal proceedings are set to continue, with lawyers for both the U.S. government and Assange scheduled to reconvene in a British court on May 20. The outcome of these proceedings will determine whether Assange will indeed be extradited to the U.S., with the hope of finding a resolution to this long-standing and complex legal battle.
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