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January 4th, 2021 
Awake Goy 
Julian Assange supporters celebrate outside court
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange cannot be lawfully extradited to the US to face charges over WikiLeaks due to his mental health and suicide risk, a UK judge has ruled.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said that the isolated conditions Assange would likely to face in the US meant that extradition would be “oppressive”.
Assange, 49, would face a total of 17 charges of espionage and computer hacking in the US after he enflamed Washington by publishing documents revealing the grim realities of the so-called “war on terror”.
If extradited, the WikiLeaks founder could have been sentenced to as many as 175 years in a high security jail.
British district judge Vanessa Baraitser delivered her ruling at London’s Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey.
She said Assange would be kept in custody, ahead of an appeal from the US.
Judge agrees to further hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ court
Judge Baraitser has agreed to a further hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ court after Julian Assange’s lawyer, Ed Fitzgerald QC, requested to put off a full bail application until Wednesday.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 12:18
Bail application will not be made in full until Wednesday
A bail application will not be in full until Wednesday, correspondent Lizzie Dearden reports from court.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 12:11
Court resume with bail, appeal to be discussed
After a short break, in which Julian Assange met with his legal team, court has resumed.
Assange’s bail and the US’s decision to appeal are being discussed.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 12:10
Glenn Greenwald: Ruling should not be hailed as ‘victory for press freedom’
Journalist Glenn Greenwald has said that while he considers the decision against extraditing Julian Assange as “obviously good news”, it should not be hailed as a “victory for press freedom”.
“This wasn’t a victory for press freedom. Quite the contrary: the judge made clear she believed there are grounds to prosecute Assange in connection with the 2010 publication,” he said. “It was, instead, an indictment of the insanely oppressive US prison system for security ‘threats’.”
“Ultimately, though, from a humanitarian *and* a political perspective, what matters most is that Assange be freed as soon as possible. The US Govt doesn’t care what prison he’s in, or why: they just want him silenced and in a cage.
“He should be freed immediately,” Mr Greenwald said.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:46
Tory MP David Davis says decision is ‘good news’
Conservative MP David Davis has called the decision against extraditing Julian Assange “good news”.
“Good news Julian Assange’s extradition has been blocked,” he wrote in a tweet.
“Extradition treaties should not be used for political prosecutions,” he asserted.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:39
Veteran reporter John Pilger brands ruling ‘face-saving cover for the British’
Veteran journalist John Pilger has branded the decision not to extradite Julian Assange to the US a “face-saving cover for the British” to justify their treatment of the WikiLeaks founder.
“Julian #Assange has been discharged by the judge at the Old Bailey on grounds that he was too great a suicide risk if extradited to the US,” the journalist, who has been a vocal advocate for Assange, noted in a tweet.
“This is wonderful!” Mr Pilger said.
However, he asserted: “It’s a face-saving cover for the British to justify their disgraceful political trial of #Assange on America’s behalf.”
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:35
US press freedom foundation says ruling ‘huge relief’ for ‘rights of journalists’
US non-profit Freedom of the Press Foundation has welcomed the decision against extraditing Julian Assange as a “huge relief to anyone who cares about the rights of journalists”.
“The case against Julian Assange is the most dangerous threat to US press freedom in decades. This is a huge relief to anyone who cares about the rights of journalists,” the non-profit said in a tweet.
“The extradition request was not decided on press freedom grounds; rather, the judge essentially ruled the US prison system was too repressive to extradite. However, the result will protect journalists everywhere,” it added.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:29
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott applauds ‘excellent ruling’
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has applauded the decision not to allow the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as an “excellent ruling”.
“Congratulations to all the dogged campaigners on Assange’s behalf,” she said in a tweet.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:27
Crowd cheers outside Old Bailey over Assange ruling
A crowd of people waiting outside the Old Bailey to hear the court decision on whether Julian Assange should be extradited to the US cheered as news broke that district judge Vanessa Baraitser had ruled against the extradition.
“Victory!” one woman could be heard shouting outside the courthouse in video shared on social media.
Meanwhile, others cheered in a crowd, where many appeared to not be wearing face masks or practicing social distancing measures.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:23
Assange to be kept in custody ahead of expected appeal
Julian Assange is expected to be kept in custody, ahead of an appeal expected from the US, district judge Vanessa Baraitser has said.
The WikiLeaks founder is meeting with his lawyers and then court will resume at around 11.45am.
Chantal Da Silva4 January 2021 11:13
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