Top torture expert urges UK to halt extradition of Julian Assange to America

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 7th Feb. UN independent expert on torture Alice Edwards on Tuesday urged the United Kingdom to halt the possible extradition of Julian Assange to the United States.

Alice Edwards called on British authorities to consider Mr. Assange’s appeal based on the substantial fears that, if extradited, he would be at risk of treatment amounting to torture or other forms of ill-treatment or punishment.

“Julian Assange suffers from a long standing and recurrent depressive disorder. He is assessed as being at risk of committing suicide,” Ms. Edwards said in a statement.

The statement noted that Assange faces numerous charges in the US, including under the Espionage Act of 1917, for the alleged unlawful release of diplomatic and other cables and documents via the investigative site he co-founded, WikiLeaks.

“If extradited, he could be detained in prolonged isolation while awaiting trial or as an inmate. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in prison,” Ms. Edwards said.

She questioned whether his extradition is compatible with the UK’s international human rights obligations considering the risks to his mental health through solitary confinement or likelihood of “disproportionate” sentencing.

“Diplomatic assurances of humane treatment provided by the Government of the United States are not a sufficient guarantee to protect Mr. Assange against such risk,” she added.

She called on the UK to carefully review the extradition order.

A final domestic appeal after a long-running legal battle on Mr. Assange’s extradition is scheduled to take place before the High Court in London on 20 and 21 February, according to media reports.