UK top court denies Assange permission to appeal US extradition

London, Mar 14 (EFE).- The UK top court Monday denied Wikileaks founder Julian Assange permission to appeal against his extradition, bringing him one step closer to being extradited to the United States where he faces up to 175 years in prison.

The UK’s Supreme Court denied his appeal because “that application did not raise an arguable point of law,” according to a spokesperson.

Assange’s case is now in the hands of UK’s conservative home secretary Priti Patel, who can authorize the handover, but is likely to be challenged by Assange’s legal team.

The Wikileaks founder can also take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.

US authorities have charged Assange with 18 offenses of espionage and computer misuse related to the leaks of thousands of classified military and diplomatic cables in 2010.

While Assange denies all accusations, Washington argues the publications put lives in danger.

Assange’s lawyers claim he was acting as a journalist and is therefore entitled to the First Amendment freedom of the press for publishing documents that exposed wrongdoings of the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. EFE

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