02:42Stella Assange, wife of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, claimed the UK legal system had been 'hijacked' but that judges could still 'do the right thing', during an exclusive interview following the latest court decision on Tuesday.
"This is a political case," she stated. "I think it's very obvious to anyone who looks at this and the bizarre turns that this case has taken. Any person who is looking at this objectively can identify that this case is not being handled as a normal case would."
"In fact, it should have been thrown out from the very beginning," she continued. "I still retain some hope that the UK courts will stop this abusive persecution of Julian in which the legal system has been hijacked for political purposes and there is still the opportunity to do that. So, in that sense, I think there is still time for the UK courts to do the right thing and stop this."
Stella was speaking after London's High Court ruled to postpone her husband's extradition hearing pending 'assurances' from the US government.
"Frankly, I expected the United Kingdom court to allow evidence of Julian's, of the murder plots against Julian to be heard, but they didn't," she said, referring to allegations made in a 2021 media report that the CIA had plotted to kill or kidnap Assange. The CIA did not comment at the time, while Assange's team attempted to highlight the 'real risk of further extrajudicial actions' during the latest court hearings.
"On the other hand, what they have identified is that Julian remains exposed to the death penalty and that the freedom of the press issues are at the heart of this case and has also picked up on the fact that the United States has said that it intends to discriminate against Julian on the basis of his nationality," she added.
"It says that because he's an Australian because he published from outside the United States, he does not enjoy First Amendment rights and this is a discrimination on the basis of his nationality," she claimed.
Under the latest ruling, the court decided that the hearing would be adjourned until May 20, allowing the publisher to amend his grounds of appeal and pending a number of 'assurances' required from the US and UK governments.
The US government would need to provide certain guarantees that any extradition would not contravene freedom of expression, wouldn't involved any prejudice during a trial regarding Assange's nationality and would not mean the death penalty in the case of conviction.
Six other grounds for appeal were rejected. If no assurances are provided, Assange's team would be allowed to appeal, while if they are, both sides could file further submissions ahead of the next hearing.
Julian is currently in Belmarsh prison, where he has been held since being dragged from the Ecuadorian Embassy and arrested in April 2019. The extradition was approved in 2022 by then-home secretary Priti Patel. He is wanted by US authorities on 18 charges, following the release of thousands of military and diplomatic documents relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
'Legal system hijacked' but still 'hope' and time for UK to 'do the right thing' - Stella Assange gives exclusive interview as court postpones US extradition decision
Stella Assange, wife of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, claimed the UK legal system had been 'hijacked' but that judges could still 'do the right thing', during an exclusive interview following the latest court decision on Tuesday.
"This is a political case," she stated. "I think it's very obvious to anyone who looks at this and the bizarre turns that this case has taken. Any person who is looking at this objectively can identify that this case is not being handled as a normal case would."
"In fact, it should have been thrown out from the very beginning," she continued. "I still retain some hope that the UK courts will stop this abusive persecution of Julian in which the legal system has been hijacked for political purposes and there is still the opportunity to do that. So, in that sense, I think there is still time for the UK courts to do the right thing and stop this."
Stella was speaking after London's High Court ruled to postpone her husband's extradition hearing pending 'assurances' from the US government.
"Frankly, I expected the United Kingdom court to allow evidence of Julian's, of the murder plots against Julian to be heard, but they didn't," she said, referring to allegations made in a 2021 media report that the CIA had plotted to kill or kidnap Assange. The CIA did not comment at the time, while Assange's team attempted to highlight the 'real risk of further extrajudicial actions' during the latest court hearings.
"On the other hand, what they have identified is that Julian remains exposed to the death penalty and that the freedom of the press issues are at the heart of this case and has also picked up on the fact that the United States has said that it intends to discriminate against Julian on the basis of his nationality," she added.
"It says that because he's an Australian because he published from outside the United States, he does not enjoy First Amendment rights and this is a discrimination on the basis of his nationality," she claimed.
Under the latest ruling, the court decided that the hearing would be adjourned until May 20, allowing the publisher to amend his grounds of appeal and pending a number of 'assurances' required from the US and UK governments.
The US government would need to provide certain guarantees that any extradition would not contravene freedom of expression, wouldn't involved any prejudice during a trial regarding Assange's nationality and would not mean the death penalty in the case of conviction.
Six other grounds for appeal were rejected. If no assurances are provided, Assange's team would be allowed to appeal, while if they are, both sides could file further submissions ahead of the next hearing.
Julian is currently in Belmarsh prison, where he has been held since being dragged from the Ecuadorian Embassy and arrested in April 2019. The extradition was approved in 2022 by then-home secretary Priti Patel. He is wanted by US authorities on 18 charges, following the release of thousands of military and diplomatic documents relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Stella Assange, wife of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, claimed the UK legal system had been 'hijacked' but that judges could still 'do the right thing', during an exclusive interview following the latest court decision on Tuesday.
"This is a political case," she stated. "I think it's very obvious to anyone who looks at this and the bizarre turns that this case has taken. Any person who is looking at this objectively can identify that this case is not being handled as a normal case would."
"In fact, it should have been thrown out from the very beginning," she continued. "I still retain some hope that the UK courts will stop this abusive persecution of Julian in which the legal system has been hijacked for political purposes and there is still the opportunity to do that. So, in that sense, I think there is still time for the UK courts to do the right thing and stop this."
Stella was speaking after London's High Court ruled to postpone her husband's extradition hearing pending 'assurances' from the US government.
"Frankly, I expected the United Kingdom court to allow evidence of Julian's, of the murder plots against Julian to be heard, but they didn't," she said, referring to allegations made in a 2021 media report that the CIA had plotted to kill or kidnap Assange. The CIA did not comment at the time, while Assange's team attempted to highlight the 'real risk of further extrajudicial actions' during the latest court hearings.
"On the other hand, what they have identified is that Julian remains exposed to the death penalty and that the freedom of the press issues are at the heart of this case and has also picked up on the fact that the United States has said that it intends to discriminate against Julian on the basis of his nationality," she added.
"It says that because he's an Australian because he published from outside the United States, he does not enjoy First Amendment rights and this is a discrimination on the basis of his nationality," she claimed.
Under the latest ruling, the court decided that the hearing would be adjourned until May 20, allowing the publisher to amend his grounds of appeal and pending a number of 'assurances' required from the US and UK governments.
The US government would need to provide certain guarantees that any extradition would not contravene freedom of expression, wouldn't involved any prejudice during a trial regarding Assange's nationality and would not mean the death penalty in the case of conviction.
Six other grounds for appeal were rejected. If no assurances are provided, Assange's team would be allowed to appeal, while if they are, both sides could file further submissions ahead of the next hearing.
Julian is currently in Belmarsh prison, where he has been held since being dragged from the Ecuadorian Embassy and arrested in April 2019. The extradition was approved in 2022 by then-home secretary Priti Patel. He is wanted by US authorities on 18 charges, following the release of thousands of military and diplomatic documents relating to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.