Julian Assange lawyer says Trump election victory will be bad for WikiLeaks founder
Edward Fitzgerald also says Assange will suffer if sent to US - regardless of who wins November election
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A lawyer for Julian Assange said Friday that the WikiLeaks founder’s situation will be worse if President Donald Trump is re-elected in November than if Democrat rival Joe Biden wins.
Edward Fitzgerald said at Assange’s extradition hearing in London that Assange will suffer if he is sent to the U.S. to face spying charges regardless of who wins the Nov. 3 election.
“Much of what we say about the fate which awaits Mr. Assange remains good because it’s about systemic faults in the prisons and his underlying conditions,” he said.
But, he added, “it will be all the worse” if Trump is re-elected.
U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.
Assange’s defense team argues that he is a journalist and entitled to First Amendment protections for publishing leaked documents that exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. They say the charges are a politically motivated prosecution by the Trump administration.
They also claim the conditions Assange would face in a U.S. prison would breach his human rights and that he is likely to attempt suicide if he is extradited.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said she won’t give her ruling on extradition before the U.S. election — and likely not until next year.
On Friday she agreed to delay closing arguments in the case for several weeks after evidence concludes at the end of next week so that the two legal teams have time to prepare.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.