UK court blocks Julian Assange’s extradition to US citing suicide risk

Assange, 49, is wanted in the US over the publication of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011. According to his defence team, the case is politically motivated. The court’s ruling is expected to appealed by US authorities in the high court.

The Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday blocked the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States on health grounds, saying that there are concerns over his mental health and risk of suicide.

People celebrate after a British judge ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States, outside the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, in London on January 4. (Reuters)

Assange, 49, is wanted in the US over the publication of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011. According to his defence team, the case is politically motivated. The court’s ruling is expected to appealed by US authorities in the high court.

Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that the US was incapable of preventing Assange from attempting to take his own life, adding: “The overall impression is of a depressed and sometimes despairing man fearful for his future.”

“Faced with the conditions of near total isolation without the protective factors which limited his risk at HMP Belmarsh, I am satisfied the procedures described by the US will not prevent Mr Assange from finding a way to commit suicide and for this reason I have decided extradition would be oppressive by reason of mental harm and I order his discharge.”

He earlier faced extradition to Sweden on allegations of sexual assault which he denied. The case was later dropped.