Julian Assange faces ruling on extradition to the United States

A judge in London plans to rule today on whether Britain should extradite Julian A ssange to the United States, where the WikiLeaks founder faces charges of conspiring to hack government computers and violating the Espionage Act by obtaining and releasing confidential documents in 2010 and 2011.

A ruling in favor of the U. S. extradition request could pave the way for a high- stakes trial that Assange has sought to avoid for years, and which his supporters say poses a dangerous threat to press freedom. Assange faces up to 175 years in prison if found guilty of all charges.

If the judge, Vanessa Baraitser, rejects the extradition request, however, it would give Assange a major victory at a time when recent U.S. administrations have increasingly used the Espionage Act against journalists’ sources.

Baraitser will not rule on whether Assange is guilty of wrongdoing but will decide whether the U. S. extradition request meets requirements set out under a 2003 extradition treaty with Britain namely, that the alleged crime for which Assange is wanted could also lead to trial in Britain, had he done it there.

If Baraitser rules in favor of the extradition, the case would go to Britain’s home secretary, who makes the final decision on extraditions. And it would be a politically delicate choice: Assange is such a high-profile figure, and the U.S. charges he faces so serious, that a decision by British authorities will have long-lasting consequences.

Yet before moving to the home secretary, appeals are likely to keep the case in courts for months. And if Assange were to lose, his legal team could also attempt to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. If he were to win on appeal, he could be freed.

President-elect Joe Biden could play a critical role in determining the fate of Assange.