STORY: :: Supporters of Julian Assange gather ahead of his U.S. extradition ruling
:: May 20, 2024
:: London, England
:: Emilia Butlin, Assange supporter
:: "I'm here to support him as a human being, as a father, as a husband, as a son. He's one of us. He, with his work, has offered tremendous service to the public, informing them about what governments are doing in their name. And as a simple solidarity with Julian Assange I'm here today, together with my colleagues, at the Committee to Defend Julian Assange."
A British court could give the final decision on Monday on whether Assange should be extradited to the United States over the mass leak of secret U.S. documents, the culmination of 13 years of legal battles and detentions.
Two judges at the High Court in London are set to rule on whether the court is satisfied by U.S. assurances that Assange, 52, would not face the death penalty and could rely on the First Amendment right to free speech if he faced a U.S. trial for spying.
Assange's legal team say he could be on a plane across the Atlantic within 24 hours of the decision, could be released from jail, or his case could yet again be bogged down in months of legal battles.
