Julian Assange's extradition trial to resume from Sep 7, court location not confirmed

WikiLeaks founder and whistleblower Julian Assange’s extradition hearing, which was earlier postponed due to the pandemic, will now reportedly resume from September 7. Taking to Twitter, WikiLeaks said that the date resumption of extradition trial has been set for September 7 but a court location has not been determined yet.

Last month,  Assange’s lawyers had moved to court to argue about the postponement of extradition trial as they have had not full and unfettered access to their client. “The onset of the coronavirus crisis has reduced that already restricted access to unacceptably low levels,” the Don’t Extradite Assange Campaign had said in a statement.

Read: WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Fathered Two Kids With Lawyer In Ecuador Embassy: Report

Assange, who is kept in a maximum-security prison in southeast London, is fighting an extradition request from the United States on the charges of violating the Espionage Act and conspiring to hack into classified government documents. WikiLeaks founder is charged on 18 counts including computer intrusion, espionage for encouraging, receiving and publishing national defence information in cahoots with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. 

Bail plea rejected

Assange had also applied for a bail, in March, arguing that he was at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus in the British prison. However, Judge Vanessa Baraitser at Westminster Magistrates' Court rejected his bail plea saying the pandemic does not as of itself provide grounds for whistleblower’s release.

Read: Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing Postponed Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Read: FBI Documents Reveal Communication Between Stone, Assange

(Image credit: AP)