UK court allows US to expand Assange extradition appeal

Britain’s High Court on Wednesday said the U.S. can expand its grounds for appealing a separate court’s decision to block the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, The Associated Press reported.

A district court judge had ruled in January that Assange could not be extradited to the U.S. as there was a risk the prison conditions would risk causing Assange to die by suicide. The U.S. appealed that ruling.

The High Court ruled last month that the U.S. could appeal the decision to block Assange’s extradition to the U.S., where he has been indicted on more than a dozen espionage charges. Wednesday’s ruling allows the U.S. to broaden its argument in appealing the January decision.

Clair Dobbin, a lawyer representing the U.S., argued in court that Assange has not made any serious attempts at taking his own life.

Stella Moris, Assange’s partner and the mother of two his children, blasted the High Court’s decision Wednesday.

“For every day that this colossal injustice is allowed to continue, Julian’s situation grows increasingly desperate,” Moris said. “Julian has been denied the love and affection of his family for so long. Julian and the kids will never get this time back. This shouldn’t be happening.”

A full appeal hearing is scheduled for Oct. 27.