Julian Assange 'will not get fair trial' in UK and US, says Former Ecuadorian Counsel

Former Ecuadorian Counsel in London and ousted diplomat Fidel Narvaez said on August 14 that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange "will never get a free trial" in the United Kingdom or in the United States. Assange's extradition case is being heard at the UK court on Friday, where it will be decided whether the whistleblower should be extradited to the United States or not. Fidel Narvaez, who was handling Assange's case after the latter was granted asylum by Ecuador and was staying at its embassy in London since 2012, told the press that there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the Australian publisher is not getting a fair extradition trial in the UK and will certainly not get a fair trial in the US as well.  

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'Subjected to judicial persecution'

Assange was arrested in April 2019 after the Ecuadorian government decided to hand over the journalist to UK police following a fallout with Ecuador's president Lenín Moreno, who accused the former of violating terms of his asylum. Fidel said that Assange has been subjected to judicial persecution in the United Kingdom as he sent to maximum-security prison after a mere 15 minute hearing following his 2019 arrest. Fidel said that Assange has not been allowed to see his partner and sons, neither he was allowed to see his lawyers in person. The restrictions tightened after the coronavirus pandemic following which Assange's solitary confinement condition worsened. 

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Fidel further alleged that Assange was given a pair of reading glasses and a radio receiver after months of request to jail authorities, which is the basic right of every prisoner. Fidel added that when extradition trial against Assange began in February this year, the journalist was not allowed to sit with his lawyers and was sent behind a glass wall for the rest of the hearing. Assange has been charged with the Espionage Act in the United States, where he could receive a maximum prison term of 175 years if found guilty. The US authorities accuse Assange of publishing a series of leaks allegedly provided by US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.

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