08:06, May 13 36 0 theguardian.com

2019-05-13 08:06:05
Assange now faces two extradition requests. What next?

Julian Assange is currently challenging an extradition request to the US, where he faces a charge of helping to hack into Department of Defense computers.

But after a decision to reopen an investigation into an allegation of rape against the Wikileaks founder, he now faces a second request for extradition to Sweden under the European arrest warrant mechanism.

So what happens now?

The Extradition Act provides that where there are requests for a particular individual from two countries, the home secretary may order proceedings on one of the requests to be deferred until the other one has been disposed of, according to Home Office guidance.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid, will have to take into account the relative seriousness of the offences, the place where each offence was committed, the date when each request was issued or received and whether the person is accused or convicted of each offence.

The home secretary’s consideration is not limited to these factors, but they must be taken into account, the guidance explains.

There is pressure to prioritise the Swedish request. Last month, the Labour MP Stella Creasy, with the support of more than 70 other MPs and peers, wrote to Javid requesting that action was taken to ensure Assange is extradited to Sweden.

“We are writing to request that you do everything you can to champion action that will ensure Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden in the event Sweden makes an extradition request,” they wrote.

“This would be so the formal investigation into an allegation of rape can be concluded and, if appropriate, a charge can be made and any trial can take place.



Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy






The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention says Assange has been 'arbitrarily detained' and should be able to claim compensation from Britain and Sweden. Britain and Sweden rebuff the non-binding ruling.



Nigel Farage is spotted visiting the Ecuadorian embassy. 



He loses a bid to have his British arrest warrant cancelled on health grounds.




Police arrest Assange at the embassy after his asylum was withdrawn. Scotland Yard confirmed that Assange was arrested on behalf of the US after receiving a request for his extradition. Assange has been charged by the US with 'a federal charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified U.S. government computer.'

He is jailed for 50 weeks in the UK for breaching his bail conditions back in 2012. An apology letter from Assange is read out in court, but the judge rules that he had engaged in a “deliberate attempt to evade justice”. On the following day the US extradition proceedings were formally started. 


The letter argues that the remaining allegation of rape has a limitation period, which expires in August 2020. Other allegations have expired due to the unavailability of Assange for questioning, after he evaded extradition by taking up asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge.

Another consideration is the European arrest warrant mechanism, which will not apply if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal.

Furthermore, there has been pressure against extraditing Assange to the US, as human rights and civil liberties campaigners have argued he is being pursued for publishing information, in essence, for journalism and his extradition would set a dangerous precedent.


Week News

Month News

Year News