Julian Assange faces further wait over extradition ruling

Julian Assange's potential extradition to the US is on hold until the US assures he will have freedom of speech protections and will not face the death penalty.

The UK High Court is considering allowing Assange to appeal his extradition under these conditions. The US accuses Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, of endangering lives by releasing classified documents, while his supporters argue it exposed US wrongdoing.

Arrested in 2019 after seeking refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, Assange has contested his extradition, leading to a legal battle.

Recently, the court delayed its decision, giving the US three weeks to provide the necessary assurances. Assange's wife has publicly urged President Biden to drop the case, which she deems politically motivated.

Assange, an Australian, has spent years fighting extradition, with the possibility of facing up to 175 years in prison in the US, although a shorter sentence has been suggested by the US government. With his legal options in the UK dwindling, his last resort may be the European Court of Human Rights, despite a previous setback.

Meanwhile, Australia's parliament has called for his release, stressing the case's significance on freedom of expression and political persecution.