The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has appealed a British judge's ruling against the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Washington, where he faces potential sentences of up to 175 years if convicted.
The appeal highlights the Biden administration's intention to prosecute Assange on charges related to espionage and hacking due to WikiLeaks' publication of thousands of U.S. military and diplomatic documents since 2009. The Justice Department had until yesterday, Friday, to file an appeal against Judge Vanessa Baraitser's ruling issued on January 4, in which she stated that Assange suffers from mental health issues that could increase the risk of suicide if sent to the United States for trial; however, she did not question the legal basis for the U.S. extradition request.
U.S. Department of Justice spokesperson Marc Raimondi confirmed to Agence France-Presse, "Yes, we have filed an appeal and are continuing to pursue the extradition."
