THE extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been rescheduled for September. Assange is wanted for questioning in the US over defence cables leaked a decade ago.
He is currently being held in London’s maximum-security Belmarsh Prison while the court system tries to reschedule his extradition hearing, which was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The hearing was originally due to begin on May 18.
A brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday determined the case should resume in September.
Journalists were unable to attend remotely after the conference call system – set up to help the media comply with social distancing rules – was not connected.
A spokeswoman from press freedom organisation Bridges for Media Freedom said the hearing is due to resume in September, although the exact date has yet to be set.
The organisation has been monitoring the hearings and was present in court.
The case is expected to last three weeks and the courts service is still looking for a Crown Court with the capacity to take the case, which might take place outside of London, the spokeswoman said.
Assange did not attend yesterday’s hearing via video link due to being unwell.
His lawyers are calling for him to be released on bail, saying he is at heightened risk of contracting
Covid-19 due to a pre-existing respiratory condition.
A further administrative hearing is due to take place on June 1.
Assange has been held in Belmarsh Prison in east London ever since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy a year ago.
He had been sheltering in the embassy since 2012, after taking refuge there to avoid extradition to Sweden on allegations of sexual assault. He was jailed for 50 weeks for breach of the Bail Act in April last year.
Despite having served the custodial part of his sentence, Assange has remained in jail on remand since September last year, awaiting the outcome of the current extradition proceedings.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled he would be at risk of absconding a second time if he were to be released on bail.
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