Julian Assange set to appear in court as Wikileaks founder fights extradition to the US
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange is expected to appear in person in court today, as his extradition case continues.
Assange, 48, who spent nearly seven years inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, is wanted in the US over leaks of classified military documents.
Former home secretary Sajid Javid signed an order in June allowing Assange to be extradited to the US over the computer-hacking allegations.
He was jailed for 50 weeks in the UK in May after he jumped bail by going into hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy.
His stay is thought to have cost the UK £16million in policing and other expenses.
The WikiLeaks founder was due to be released from HMP Belmarsh on September 22, but was told at a court hearing last month that he would be kept in jail because of “substantial grounds” for believing he would abscond.
In May, WikiLeaks said it had “grave concerns” about Assange’s health after he was moved to a medical ward in Belmarsh Prison.
When he did not appear for a scheduled hearing, chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot referred to the Australian as “not very well”.
WikiLeaks said at the time: “During the seven weeks in Belmarsh his health has continued to deteriorate and he has dramatically lost weight.
“The decision of the prison authorities to move him into the health ward speaks for itself.”
At a hearing today at Westminster Magistrates’ Court the case against him will be set out before a full hearing in February.
But if the case goes to a series of appeals, Assange could remain in a UK jail until at least 2025.
It is estimated jail and court costs would run to nearly £600,000 over that time.
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Assange entered the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted in connection with sexual offence allegations.
He spent nearly seven years living inside until he was dramatically dragged out by police in April after Ecuador revoked his political asylum.