Assange's extradition trial to the United States will begin in February 2020

The extradition trial in the United States The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, arrested in the United Kingdom, will only start on February 25, 2020, according to Judge Emma Arbuthnot. The court's decision is announced a day after British Interior Minister Sajid Javid signed the US extradition request.

The Australian journalist, 47, faces 18 new charges, among them for espionage and the publication of highly clbadified documents.

During the brief preliminary hearing held today, Assange baderted that WikiLeaks "is nothing more than a means of communication". In addition, he joked about the time of the possible sentence it could fall on him: "175 years of my life are at stake".

In defense of the activist, attorney Mark Summers pointed out that the process that affects Assange represents "a frontal and atrocious aggression". against the rights of journalists.

Moreover, in representation of the North American justice, the lawyer Ben Brandon affirmed before the magistrates court of Westminster, in London, that the Assange case "is related to one of the most important commitments confidential information in the history of the United States ".

On May 2, at a preliminary hearing, Assange had already rejected his delivery to the United States highlighting his commitment to journalism "which has protected many people".

A day earlier, another British court had sentenced him to a penalty of 50 weeks in prison for breaking the conditions of his parole in 2012. On June 19, 2012, the activist went to the Embbady of Ecuador in London not to be taken to Sweden , who claimed it for alleged Crimes of badual badault.

During Friday 's brief hearing, the Australian legal team revealed that Assange was going to appeal to the Court of Appeal the sentence of 50 weeks imprisonment, although it' s only a matter of time. he did not specify when.

On April 11, he was arrested by British police inside the Ecuadorian embbady after his current president, Lenin Moreno, withdrew his refugee status.