Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition fight is now in the hands of Home Secretary Priti Patel who will decide whether to send him to the US to stand trial.
The 50-year-old activist is fighting against being flown to America where he is accused over the 2010 and 2011 mass leak of military cables and confidential documents by military analyst Chelsea Manning.
At Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring formally approved Assange’s extradition, handing the decision on to the Home Secretary for final agreement.
Assange’s legal team are expected to make representations to Ms Patel within the next month, ahead of a May, and could launch another appeal to the High Court even if extradition is granted.
Supporters of Assange, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, protested outside the courthouse ahead of today’s hearing, declaring the proceedings a “rubber stamp from the British judiciary to appease the US authorities”.
The judge told Assange: “I am duty bound to send your case to the Secretary of State for a decision on whether or not you should be extradited.”
He added: “Having sent your case to the Secretary of State, you have the right to appeal to the High Court. If you exercise your right to appeal, it won’t be heard until the Secretary of State has made her decision unde the Act”.
Mark Summers QC, for Assange, said there is “fresh evidence” which will be put forward in the next few weeks, telling the court they will make submissions on “US sentencing and other practices”.
Assange faces espionage charges over the mass leak and publication of around 250,000 documents and military cables, which relate to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
His extradition was blocked by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser after a full extradition hearing, when she concluded Assange could not be properly protected in a US prison.
However, High Court judges overturned the decision, finding the judge had failed to allow the USA to make assurances about Assange’s safety in custody.
The Supreme Court refused to hear a further challenge by the Wikileaks founder, sending the case back to the magistrates court this morning.
Assange, who is still being held in HMP Belmarsh, followed today’s hearing over a videolink from prison.
He recently got married inside the maximum security prison, and could still mount an appeal against Judge Baraitser’s decision, arguing his extradition is politically driven.
