LONDON: WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange on Monday won a legal bid to appeal against his extradition to the United States (US), Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
Assange, who was to be extradited to the US on espionage charges, will now take his case to a new appeal hearing.
The WikiLeaks co-founder has been facing 17 espionage charges on which he may receive up to 175 years in prison.
Assange, who has been detained in a United Kingdom (UK) prison since 2019, faces extradition over allegations of leaking classified military documents in 2010-2011.
The UK High Court, in a pivotal 2021 ruling, decreed that Assange should be extradited, dismissing assertions over his fragile mental state and the risks he might face in a US correctional facility.
Following suit, the Supreme Court in 2022 upheld the decision, while then-Home Secretary Priti Patel affirmed the extradition order, intensifying the legal battle.
In his latest bid for a reprieve, Assange is seeking authorisation to scrutinise Patel’s determination and challenge the initial 2021 court verdict.
A UK High Court ruling in March granted Assange the right to appeal his extradition to the US, deciding against his immediate extradition to the US. – BERNAMA-ANADOLU
