LONDON – A judge in Great Britain has said no to an American government request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States.
In a ruling today, the judge says that the 49-year-old Assange can’t be extradited because it would be obsessive and cites Assange’s mental health condition as one of the reasons.
Judge Vanessa Baraitser said, “I accept that oppression as a bar to extradition requires a high threshold.” She continued, “However, I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate causing him to commit suicide with the ‘single minded determination’ of his autism spectrum disorder.”
“I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America.”
The United States is expected to appeal the decision.
Julian Assange faces charges in the United States under the Espionage Act.
He stands accused of publishing classified military and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks that the United States Government held as secret.
