Julian Assange's Wife Voices Concern over His Survival in US Prison after Extradition

Julian Assange's wife has expressed concerns about his well-being if he were to be extradited from the UK to the US. Stella Assange stated that her husband is physically and mentally frail ahead of his final appeal at the High Court. She described the hearing as potentially being Julian's last chance. The WikiLeaks founder is wanted in the US on espionage charges and could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. The case revolves around the publication of classified documents in 2010 and 2011, which the US authorities claim endangered lives and violated the law. Assange argues that the charges against him are politically motivated. Stella Assange mentioned that if her husband loses the High Court case, there will be no further avenues for appeal unless they apply to the European Court of Human Rights for an emergency injunction. She noted that time would be limited, as they would only have approximately 24 hours to make such a legal move based on previous extradition cases. Stress from the ongoing case has taken a toll on Julian Assange's mental and physical well-being, as he finds himself in a precarious situation. Stella Assange emphasized that this legal battle will ultimately determine his fate. Assange, an Australian citizen, has been held at London's Belmarsh Prison since 2019 while waiting for the US extradition proceedings. In 2021, the High Court ruled in favor of his extradition and dismissed claims that his mental health posed a risk of self-harm in a US prison. The Supreme Court upheld this decision the following year, and the extradition order was confirmed by then Home Secretary Priti Patel. The Australian parliament recently passed a motion calling for the release of Julian Assange ahead of the crucial hearing this week.