Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange have gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court in the UK capital of London, the site of his extradition hearing which gets underway on Monday, a Sputnik correspondent at the scene reports
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2020) Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange have gathered outside Woolwich Crown Court in the UK capital of London, the site of his extradition hearing which gets underway on Monday, a Sputnik correspondent at the scene reports.
Dozens of supporters gathered outside the court on Monday morning, carrying banners with messages such as "Don't Extradite Assange" and "The Truth Will Win." Supporters of the WikiLeaks founder were heard chanting "Free Assange" at regular intervals.
"The Assange case concerns all of us, it is about freedom of speech, freedom of journalists. Be sure to listen to the defense arguments, it is not simply chatter from the US side," one of the demonstrators told a Sputnik correspondent.
A large number of journalists have also gathered at the court for the start of proceedings, which are expected to commence at 10:00 GMT. The week-long hearing will see both sides present their opening arguments, before the case will be adjourned. Proceedings are expected to resume on May 18 for three weeks of evidence and witness testimony, with a verdict expected shortly after.
The original verdict is not expected to be the end of the matter, with one of the parties expected to file an appeal. Assange's defense team said earlier that the case will likely end up in the Supreme Court, and the entire legal process may take several years.
The United States has requested the extradition of Assange, who is currently being held in Belmarsh prison in London. He faces 18 Federal charges, many in relation to the US Espionage Act, and could be sentenced to a maximum of 175 years incarceration if convicted. The Espionage Act makes it a crime to spread information that would interfere with the operations of the US armed forces during a war, or promote the success of the US' enemies.
Assange resided in the Ecuadorian embassy in London from 2012-2019 after claiming for asylum.� In April, the embassy allowed UK police to enter and arrest the WikiLeaks founder, who was eventually sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail conditions in 2012, in relation to rape accusations in Sweden that have since been dropped.
