https://sputniknews.com/world/201907011076110966-assange-imprisonment-plotted-to-prevent-him-preparing-defence-against-us-extradition--hrafnsson/?utm_source=push&utm_medium=browser_notification&utm_campaign=sputnik_inter_en
*Assange Imprisonment Plotted to Prevent Him Preparing Defence Against US Extradition – Hrafnsson* © Sputnik / Justin Griffiths-Williams *GENEVA (Sputnik) - Putting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison in London was a deliberate move designed to prevent him from properly preparing his defence line for the US extradition request hearing, WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson told Sputnik.* "In fact, of course, he is placed in this position of not being able to sufficiently prepare his defense. ... And it is very deliberate that it’s done: that he gets this very hard sentence for a minor violation per se of breaching bail. The maximum sentence of most is totally unacceptable, because it was known of course that he would then be in a position where he could not properly prepare for his defense on the extradition case," Hrafnsson said in an interview. *WikiLeaks to Keep Fighting for Assange’s Freedom Until Extradition Hearing* WikiLeaks will not give up fighting for the freedom of its founder in the time left until the US extradition request hearing scheduled to take place in February 2020, WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said. "The formal hearing will be at the end of February. And we will be doing some incremental steps on the way to that. But in the meantime, we will of course continue the fight and continue to get people to accept the reality of the seriousness of this case," Hrafnsson said. He also stressed that the WikiLeaks website would go on working against all odds. *"The precedent that it sets is not about Julian and WikiLeaks, it’s about the most serious attack on the press freedom in decades. Our main focus will be supporting, and me as the chief editor as well, we will continue, even though we have a limited capacity, publishing information on the WikiLeaks website," Hrafnsson said.* On June 14, the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London said that a hearing on the case of Assange's extradition to the United States would be held in February. The trial will last for five days and will be preceded by several technical hearing. *Assange Might Eventually Turn to European Human Rights Court* The WikiLeaks founder may turn to the European Court of Human Rights over the psychological torture that he has been exposed to, after having exhausted all legal ways in the United Kingdom, Hrafnsson suggested. “*I don’t know if it is possible to do that on that basis. You have to exhaust the legal remedies in the courts in your country before you actually do it, but I could expect to see that happen in the end, after the United Kingdom takes it through all courts. But I am not too optimistic that he will be allowed free. So that means incarceration for years and years,” Hrafnsson said, when asked if Assange should apply to the European Court on Human Rights over the matter.* In late May, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer stated after visiting Assange in prison together with two medical experts that the WikiLeaks founder had been exposed to a long-time psychological torture. *Assange’s Health Stabilised But Still Frail * According to Hrafnsson, Assange's health has stabilised, but is still very frail. "For sure he is in a better condition than he was a few weeks ago. As it is known, he was previously brought to the health ward of the Belmarsh prison, and I was pleased to see now that his health has improved somehow. But he is still frail, and he is still suffering." However, he also stressed that Assange was now in a life-or-death situation ahead of the US extradition request hearing scheduled to be held in late February 2020. *"You can imagine the anxiety that he is under. A total isolation, not having sufficient information, and he is having his life basically on the line. Because it is a matter of life and death. 175 years in prison in the United States is a matter of life and death," he added.* On May 1, Assange, famous for publishing thousands of leaked classified documents exposing US atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan, was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for jumping his bail back in 2012 when he took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in the UK capital to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault charges and possibly being sent to the United States. After Assange’s arrest, Washington filed a relevant request asking London to extradite the whistleblower. Once the request is approved, Assange will face up to 175 years in US jail. A Swedish court, however, refused to arrest the WikiLeaks founder in absentia, meaning that Sweden would not be able to demand his extradition. On June 13, UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that he had signed the US request over Assange’s extradition. From now on, it is up to the court to decide whether the whistleblower will be extradited. <https://ads.adfox.ru/249922/goLink?ad-session-id=1860051561970659401&hash=f785fa1cae501691&sj=F-_C15lu7Wkf8nSGx02q9cUKSQ0okaJ0ZVaeMp1DacV6WUJpOtpP59ecgnL6mSoScsQDQ1yCXVJWijyakxNKz8y3InSoqvb80MFnGqU%3D&rand=easulvz&rqs=c_JQKxcAAADixxldujb1s_iYVsc3aOrC&pr=binkhqe&p1=bxlod&ytt=526357&p5=eqawz&ybv=0.1236&p2=flvd&ylv=0.1237> .... *0 <https://sputniknews.com/services/likes/like/?article_id=1076110966&value=1>3 <https://sputniknews.com/services/likes/like/?article_id=1076110966&value=-1>*
