Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the US to face charges of espionage and of hacking government computers, a British judge has ruled.
The ruling was delivered at the central criminal court by the district judge, Vanessa Baraitser.
Judge Vanessa Baraitser said she had refused his extradition to the United States because of fears that he could commit suicide.
“I accept that oppression as a bar to extradition requires a high threshold … 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,” judge Vanessa Baraitser said in her ruling Monday.
“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,” she added.
The US said it would appeal against the decision.
More to follow…
