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Julian Assange sentenced to 50 weeks’ jail over bail breach

Updated

May 01, 2019 21:17:12

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to 50 weeks’ jail for absconding while on bail, when he fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012.

Key points:

  • Julian Assange first took refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012
  • He was avoiding extradition to Sweden over a since-dropped sexual assault case
  • Assange’s lawyers say he will fight a US extradition attempt over allegations he conspired with Chelsea Manning to access classified databases

Assange was granted asylum by Ecuador after the UK Supreme Court upheld a ruling that he should be extradited to Sweden over a sexual assault case that has since been dropped. He has denied the allegation.

He claimed he was seeking political asylum because Sweden’s international arrest warrant would see him eventually extradited to the United States.

Assange’s lawyer Mark Summers told the courtroom packed with journalists and WikiLeaks supporters that his client sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy because “he was living with overwhelming fear of being rendered to the US”.

He said Assange had a “well-founded” fear that he would be mistreated and possibly sent to the US detention camp for terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay.

Mr Summers read a letter from Assange apologising for his behaviour in 2012 and saying, “I did what I thought was best”.

“I found myself struggling with terrifying circumstances,” the letter said.

The white-haired WikiLeaks founder stood impassively with his hands clasped while his 50-week sentence was read.

The 47-year-old’s supporters in the public gallery chanted “shame on you” at the judge as he was led away.

Assange had apologised unreservedly to the court for skipping bail seven years ago and moving to the Ecuadorian embassy.

After six years holed up inside, Assange was arrested and dragged out to a waiting police van on April 11.

Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno said the country had withdrawn its offer of asylum and accused Assange of harassing embassy staff.

The next day, he was found guilty of breaching his bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Judge Michael Snow said Assange’s claim that he had breached his bail conditions because he could not expect a fair hearing in the UK was “laughable”.

“His behaviour is that of a narcissist who cannot get past his own self-interest,” Justice Snow said in his judgment.

Assange faces extradition hearing

On Thursday, Assange will again appear in court by video link as the US attempts to extradite him.

Assange is charged with conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to gain access to classified databases.

In 2010, WikiLeaks released hundreds of thousands of US military reports about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and US diplomatic communications.

The US Justice Department described it as “one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States”.

Assange faces up to five years in US prison if convicted. Assange’s lawyers said they would fight the extradition attempt.

More to come.

ABC/AP

Topics:

courts-and-trials,

world-politics,

international-law,

internet-culture,

united-kingdom,

sweden,

united-states

First posted

May 01, 2019 20:47:11

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