[News:] Historic press freedom case commences

Tareq Haddad February 24, 2020 By-Lines

Lawyers and journalists queue to enter Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in H.M.P. Belmarsh on February 24, 2020. (credit: Emmy Butlin)

(London, U.K.) Amid warehouses and sleepy suburbs, a historic press freedom case is about to commence in south-east London today (February 24).

Journalist and publisher Julian Assange is due to appear in Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court as the first week of his extradition hearings begin.

The WikiLeaks founder, an Australian national, is wanted in the United States for publishing classified material which revealed war crimes, the murder of civilians and corruption.

For pursuing these standard journalistic practices, he has been indicted on 18 charges by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia — 17 under the Espionage Act with a further charge of conspiring to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

If extradited by the U.K. and found guilty, he faces a death sentence of 175 years in prison.

Numerous politicians, press freedom and advocacy groups have called on the U.K. to reject the extradition request.

Updates to follow.

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