Published 12:14 IST, April 8th 2020
Julian Assange highly susceptible to Coronavirus as Belmarsh Prison records first death
With multiple confirmed cases of Coronavirus, the first death was recorded on April 7, in the prison where whistleblower Julian Assange is being held.
Coronavirus threat looms over the WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, as Belmarsh Prison recorded its first COVID-19 death. With multiple confirmed cases of Coronavirus, the first death was recorded on April 7 in the prison where whistleblower Julian Assange is being held.
Posing a significant threat to Julian Assange's life, the concern of prisons being breeding grounds for Coronavirus spread repeatedly emerged. Calling a prison environment a "petri dish," WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson told RT that the number of cases is 'higher than reported.'
The editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks informed that Assange had an underlying lung condition, making the journalist more vulnerable to the virus. She added that he is in 'very bad shape.' Assange on March 26 failed in his bid to be bailed after he argued that he was at risk of catching coronavirus in the Belmarsh prison that houses almost 800 inmates, as per international media reports.
The WikiLeaks founder is currently under a legal battle and fighting an extradition request by the United States to stand trial there on espionage charges. WikiLeaks on March 24 released a statement saying, "Julian Assange falls into a category of persons who should be released to mitigate the impact of COVID-19."
The European country on April 7 stated that the UK has not seen an acceleration in Coronavirus cases. However, it was mentioned that there has been a fairly steady increase in the number of positive cases. COVID-19 positive UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was recently moved to the intensive care unit after his condition reportedly worsened.
Prisoner release in UK
The British government announced on April 4, that as many as 4000 prisoners in England and Wales will be temporarily released to contain the spread of Coronavirus. The UK confirmed 55,242 positive cases and 6,159 Coronavirus-related deaths as of Wednesday noon. Boris Johnson-led government said that low-risk offenders will be temporarily released with an electronic tag on them. The WikiLeaks publisher faces charges under the US Espionage Act for the 2010 release of a trove of secret files detailing aspects of US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as a single computer hacking charge. A ruling against Assange could see him jailed for 175 years.
Updated 12:16 IST, April 8th 2020