Assange’s ‘final’ extradition fate could take a year to be decided
February 24th, 2011 - 1:49 pm ICT by ANILondon, Feb 24(ANI): Julian Assange, founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, is expected to lose his battle against extradition to Sweden today.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Magistrates Court will grant the European arrest warrant forcing Assange to face accusations of sex crimes in Stockholm.
However, it could take nine months to a year before a final verdict, as both sides have already signalled their intention to appeal against today’s decision should it go against them, by taking the extradition request to the High Court and the Supreme Court.
The court was asked to examine whether the European arrest warrant was issued correctly and whether it would be an abuse of justice to send the 39-year-old to Sweden for questioning.
Swedish prosecutors say that Assange must return to Stockholm to face accusations by two women who say that he sexually abused them last August.
Under Sweden’s strict sexual-crimes laws, he is accused of two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of rape.
His accusers, both WikiLeaks volunteers, have said that their sexual encounters with Assange started out as consensual, but turned nonconsensual.
The case has been fought against the backdrop of the group’s highest-profile operation yet - the release of a quarter of a million confidential American diplomatic cables. (ANI)
- Interpol issues wanted notice for WikiLeaks founder Assange over 'sex crimes' - Dec 01, 2010
- Assange challenges extradition - Jul 12, 2011
- Assange's mother does not want son to be 'hunted down and jailed' - Dec 01, 2010
- WikiLeaks founder Assange faces extradition to Sweden - Nov 02, 2011
- WikiLeaks founder's extradition trial begins in Britain - Feb 07, 2011
- Assange attacks British judge's extradition order - Feb 26, 2011
- Assange fights extradition in British Supreme Court - Feb 01, 2012
- Assange to appear in court over extradition case - Jan 11, 2011
- Statement from Scotland Yard on Julian Assange - Dec 07, 2010
- Assange escapes arrest in Britain on legal point - Dec 02, 2010
- Appeal against Assange's extradition filed in High Court - Mar 03, 2011
- WikiLeaks founder to be extradited to Sweden - Feb 24, 2011
- Assange-hosted TV show to debut in Russia - Apr 13, 2012
- Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London - Dec 07, 2010
- End witch-hunt against WikiLeaks: Assange urges US - Aug 19, 2012
Tags: accusations, backdrop, coercion, consensual, european arrest warrant, extradition request, final verdict, julian assange, london feb, magistrates court, morning herald, nine months, profile operation, sex crimes, sexual crimes, sexual encounters, sexual molestation, sydney morning herald, whistle, wikileaks