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WORLD NEWS Thursday 7 January 2021
WikiLeaks founder Assange denied bail in UK

By JILL LAWLESS "I am satisfied that, in these
LONDON (AP) — A Brit- harsh conditions, Mr. As-
ish judge on Wednesday sange's mental health
denied bail to WikiLeaks' would deteriorate, causing
founder Julian Assange, him to commit suicide," she
ordering him to remain in said in her ruling.
a high-security prison while Assange's legal troubles
U.K. courts decide whether began in 2010, when he
he will be sent to the United was arrested in London at
States to face espionage the request of Sweden,
charges. which wanted to ques-
District Judge Vanessa tion him about allegations
Baraitser said Assange must of rape and sexual assault
remain in prison while the made by two women. In
courts consider an appeal 2012, Assange jumped bail
by U.S. authorities against and sought refuge inside
her decision not to extra- the Ecuadorian Embassy,
dite him. where he was beyond the
The judge said Assange reach of U.K. and Swedish
"has an incentive to ab- authorities — but also ef-
scond" and there is a good fectively was a prisoner in
chance he would fail to re- the tiny diplomatic mission.
turn to court if freed. Julian Assange supporters demonstrate outside the Westminster Magistrates Court during his bail The relationship between
On Monday, Baraitser re- hearing at the court, where Judger Vanessa Baraitser denied bail in London, Wednesday, Jan. 6, Assange and his hosts
jected an American re- 2021. eventually soured, and he
quest to send Assange Associated Press was evicted from the em-
to the U.S. to face spying bassy in April 2019. British
charges over WikiLeaks' would flee if granted bail. not yet been won," she was a "real risk" he would police immediately arrest-
publication of secret mili- She noted that Assange said. "Mr. Assange still has be sent to the Administra- ed him for breaching bail
tary documents a decade had spent seven years in- an incentive to abscond tive Maximum Facility in in 2012.
ago. She denied extradi- side Ecuadorian Embassy from these as yet unre- Florence, Colorado. It is the Sweden dropped the sex
tion on health grounds, say- in London after seeking ref- solved proceedings." highest security prison in crimes investigations in No-
ing the 49-year-old Austra- uge there from a Swedish U.S. prosecutors have in- the U.S., also holding Una- vember 2019 because so
lian was likely to kill himself if extradition request in 2012. dicted Assange on 17 es- bomber Theodore Kaczyn- much time had elapsed,
held under harsh U.S. prison Dobbin said Assange had pionage charges and one ski and Mexican drug lord but Assange has remained
conditions. the "resources, abilities charge of computer misuse Joaquin "El Chapo" Guz- in prison throughout his ex-
Wednesday's bail ruling and sheer wherewithal" to over WikiLeaks' publication man. tradition hearing.q
means Assange must re- evade justice once again, of thousands of leaked mili-
main in London's high-secu- and noted that Mexico has tary and diplomatic docu-
rity Belmarsh Prison where said it will offer him asylum. ments. The charges carry a
he has been held since he But Assange's lawyer, Ed- maximum sentence of 175
was arrested in April 2019 ward Fitzgerald, said the years in prison.
for skipping bail during a judge's decision to refuse American prosecutors say
separate legal battle seven extradition "massively re- Assange unlawfully helped
years earlier. duces" any motivation to U.S. Army intelligence ana-
Assange's partner, Stella abscond. lyst Chelsea Manning steal
Moris, said the decision was "Mr. Assange has every rea- classified diplomatic ca-
"a huge disappointment." son to stay in this jurisdiction bles and military files that
WikiLeaks spokesman Kris- where he has the protec- were later published by
tinn Hrafnsson said "it is in- tion of the rule of law and WikiLeaks.
humane. It is illogical." this court's decision," he Lawyers for Assange argue
Several dozen Assange said. that he was acting as a
supporters gathered out- Fitzgerald said it's also un- journalist and is entitled to
side London's Westminster clear whether the incoming First Amendment protec-
Magistrates' Court, shout- Joe Biden administration tions of freedom of speech
ing "Free Assange." Police will pursue the prosecution, for publishing documents
said seven people were ar- initiated under President that exposed U.S. military
rested for breaching coro- Donald Trump. wrongdoing in Iraq and Af-
navirus lockdown rules. Fitzgerald said Assange ghanistan.
Lawyers for the U.S. govern- would be safer awaiting The judge rejected that
ment have appealed the the outcome of the judi- argument in her extradi-
decision not to extradite cial process at home with tion ruling, saying Assange's
Assange, and the case will Moris and their two young actions, if proven, would
be heard by Britain's Hugh sons — fathered while he amount to offenses "that
Court at an unspecified was in the embassy — than would not be protected
date. in prison, where there is "a by his right to freedom of
Clair Dobbin, a British law- very grave crisis of COVID." speech." She also said the
yer acting for the U.S., said But the judge ruled that As- U.S. judicial system would
Assange had shown he sange still had a strong mo- give him a fair trial.
would go "to almost any tive to flee. But the judge agreed that
length" to avoid extradi- "As far as Mr. Assange is U.S. prison conditions would
tion, and it was likely he concerned this case has be oppressive, saying there