‘Strong arguments’: Assange’s family remains hopeful as crucial UK court hearing looms

Julian Assange is running out of options to fight his extradition to the US, but a hearing in a UK court this week could allow him another chance to appeal. 

Assange’s father John Shipton told Crikey all hope was not lost: “Lawyers say Julian’s arguments are strong, and odds are if arguments are given their due weight and UK law is honoured, an appeals hearing will be allowed.” 

Shipton spoke to Crikey while en route to London, where Assange’s legal team will argue before the High Court that the WikiLeaks founder should get permission to appeal the extradition. A two-day hearing has been scheduled for February 20 and 21, meaning arguments will be heard from about 9pm Tuesday, Australian time. 

Former detainee and Macquarie University Journalism Professor Peter Greste said Assange’s legal case had become “politicised”, and risked being impacted by the US presidential election campaign and the likelihood there’ll be an imminent election in the UK.

“You’ve effectively got both the US and UK in campaign mode, and it does complicate Julian’s case. It becomes a political rather than judicial issue,” Greste told Crikey.

“As a former detainee myself, I understand on a very personal level what it’s like to be going through the kind of imprisonment he’s enduring at the moment. Everytime I think about him it makes my stomach churn.” 

On the eve of the hearing, a coalition of journalists’ unions from around the world called for the US to drop the espionage charges at the heart of the extradition case. 

“Julian Assange faces prosecution for actions that are the daily work of journalists — cultivating sources and exposing criminal behaviour. His conviction would jeopardise journalism the world over,” read a joint statement from the International Federation of Journalists, the European Federation of Journalists, the UK National Union of Journalists and Australia’s Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance. 

“To safeguard free speech we demand that Assange is freed at once, and that all charges against him are dropped.”

Assange has been indicted on 18 US charges, including under the Espionage Act. He risks up to 175 years in prison if convicted on all counts. 

Last week, the Australian Parliament passed a motion calling for Assange, an Australian citizen, to be allowed to return to his country of origin. 

“I hope this can be resolved,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “I hope it can be resolved amicably. It’s not up to Australia to interfere in the legal processes of other countries, but it is appropriate for us to put our very strong view that those countries need to take into account the need for this to be concluded.” 

Amnesty International warned Assange’s extradition could have a profound “chilling effect” on global media freedoms. A press release from the organisation said Assange may be able to make an application to the European Court of Human Rights even if this week’s arguments fail.