On 4th January, 2021, a Judge from UK’s Court, has turned down the US’s request of extraditing Wikileaks’s Founder, Julian Assange. Civil Society termed the decision as one of the landmark judgments which ensured securing of ends of justice. Following the judgment, Mexico’s President tendered a political asylum proposal to Assange. Meanwhile, crypto donations’ value in Wikileaks exceeded US$ 800 K.
It is said that the judicial system of the UK has once again shown its superiority in terms of securing the ends of justice. On 4th January, 2021, the case of Wikileaks’s Founder – Julian Assage, was to be decided by a Judge of the UK Court. The Court was hearing the matter filed by the US Government seeking to extradite of Julian Assange to the US.
However, the UK’s Judge was not convinced and decided to turn down the US’s request of extraditing Assange. During the course of arguments, Julian informed the Court that his life is in danger if he had been handed over to the US. He stated that the conditions of US prisons were so rude and harsh that he won’t be able to survive long. He told the court that he will end up taking his life on his own.
After recording of arguments, the Court came to the conclusion that it cannot allow the US to obtain custody of Assange. The Court observed that his mental condition was not in a condition where he could bear the oppression.
Assange was arrested in April 2019 by local police in the UK at the request of the US Government. Since then Assange was defending the charges of espionage and dissemination of confidential data known as “Wikileaks”.
In order to show solidarity with Assange, the crypto community was putting in crypto donations in Wikileaks after his arrest. As of today, the crypto donations in Wikileaks had exceeded US$ 800 K. It was also recorded that Wikileaks had acquired at least 20 Bitcoins in the form of donations. The value of these Bitcoins alone had exceeded US$ 600 K as per today’s exchange rates.
Shortly after the announcement of the verdict, Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, rendered a political asylum proposal to Assange. He also lauded the judgment of the UK’s court and said that being a journalist, Assange deserved a second chance.
Obrador also stated that he was hoping if Assange was granted pardon and that he was set free from the legal charges. He stated that he had instructed his Minister to see if some legal course is provided to Assange to clear charges. The Ministry will be contacting UK’s office if Assange is willing to accept political asylum in Mexico, told Obrador.
Following the decision, the civil society also commented upon the UK Judge’s verdict. The decision was termed as a landmark judgment setting up a benchmark principle. Civil Society also reportedly stated that through the judgment UK’s judiciary had secured the ends of justice. Some members of society also said that it would have been cruel if the Court had decided to hand over Assange to the US.
