Jeremy Corbyn is calling on the UK Government not to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US.
Mr Assange was arrested by the Metropolitan police at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London yesterday after the South American country revoked his asylum.
The Australian is facing extradition to the US to answer criminal charges over his work publishing sensitive US government files with Wikileaks.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the UK should not assist the US in punishing Mr Assange for “exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The extradition of Julian Assange to the US for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan should be opposed by the British government.pic.twitter.com/CxTUrOfkHt
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 11, 2019
Sporting a long white beard and wagging a finger, he shouted "UK must resist" as he was pulled from the embassy yesterday.
He spent nearly seven years holed up in the building after seeking refuge there to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations.
The Swedish charges were dropped in 2017; however, Mr Assange remained in the building as he feared being extradited to the US.
Following his arrest yesterday, the US Justice Department said he was wanted in connection with a federal charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified government computer.
Images of Ecuador's ambassador inviting the UK's secret police into the embassy to drag a publisher of--like it or not--award-winning journalism out of the building are going to end up in the history books. Assange's critics may cheer, but this is a dark moment for press freedom. https://t.co/ys1AIdh2FP
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) April 11, 2019
Mr Assange was found guilty of breaching his bail conditions in the UK yesterday afternoon. He could go to prison for up to 12 months when he is sentenced.
He has indicated his intention to fight his extradition and experts believe the process could take years.
Julian Assange arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, 11-04-2019. Image: Victoria Jones/PA Wire/PA ImagesSpeaking yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he will not get any special treatment from Australian authorities.
“Julian Assange will get the same consular support and assistance that any other Australian would receive,” he said.
“People’s fame does not make any difference on the impact of how these decisions are made.”
This shocking video from Iraq, revealed by WikiLeaks, showing the killing of civilians and Reuters journalists provides some context to today’s moves towards extraditing Julian Assange to the USA. pic.twitter.com/GQwg0Spbz6
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) April 11, 2019
He has been targeted by two US administrations over Wikileak’s publication of secret US Army and diplomatic documents, provided by the whistleblower Chelsea Manning, in 2010.
Ms Manning was convicted and sentence to 35 years in prison for leaking the files. She served seven before US President Barack Obama commuted most of her sentence shortly before leaving office in 2017.
If Mr Assange is convicted on the conspiracy to hack charge, he could face up to five years in prison; however, the US could seek to charge him with extra offences.
Prosecutors would have to bring forward the charges before the UK decides on whether to extradite him.
The US must produce its case for requesting the extradition from Britain by June 12th.
