Amnesty International expressed concern Wednesday about the United Kingdom authorizing the extradition of embattled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States, where he will face charges under the Espionage Act.
Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard expressed the organization’s concerns in a statement responding to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel’s certification of the extradition to the United States, where he is wanted for publishing thousands of classified and sensitive documents. Patel signed Assange’s extradition order in June 2022.
“Allowing Julian Assange to be extradited to the U.S. would put him at great risk and sends a chilling message to journalists the world over,” Callamard said. “If the extradition proceeds, Amnesty International is extremely concerned that Assange faces a high risk of prolonged solitary confinement, which would violate the prohibition on torture or other ill-treatment.”…