A British judge has refused to allow the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s to the United States where he faces espionage charges for publishing secret US military documents.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser delivered the decision on Monday at the Old Bailey.
While the ruling came, Assange's supporters rallied outside the court.
The 49-year-old Australian is accused of illegally hacking into US government websites and leaking documents containing logs on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and diplomatic cables in 2010.
“I am expecting the worst,” MIT professor and prominent US foreign policy critic Noam Chomsky told Al Jazeera before the ruling.
“I hope I am wrong,” the 92-year-old activist added, calling Assange’s incarceration “unfair, unjust and criminal – but power reigns”.
If extradited, the WikiLeaks publisher is likely to appeal the decision, which could delay extradition proceedings for an indefinite period.
In case he is not, Assange is expected to remain in jail in the United Kingdom. (Source: Al Jazeera news)
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