Ongoing Protracted Termination of Julian Assange

In a significant turn of events, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been granted the right to appeal the order to extradite him to the United States. This decision comes as the world watches the case closely, with many arguing that Assange's freedom is crucial for preserving freedom of speech.

The extradition request is based on the 2010 release by WikiLeaks of the Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, which exposed numerous U.S. war crimes. The U.S. government has charged Assange with 17 acts under the Espionage Act and one count of computer misuse. However, the U.S. has refused to guarantee that Assange would be granted the same First Amendment protections afforded to a U.S. citizen, should he stand trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg has argued that only U.S. citizens are guaranteed First Amendment rights in U.S. courts. This contention is at the heart of the debate, with many questioning whether Assange, as a journalist, should be protected under the First Amendment.

In March, the judges in London determined that it is "arguable" that a U.S. court might not grant Assange protection under the First Amendment, violating his rights to free speech as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights. The High Court's decision to allow Assange's appeal is a step towards ensuring his rights are upheld.

Assange's prolonged imprisonment, including the appeal process, has taken a toll on his physical and psychological health. He has repeatedly called the suicide hotline due to thoughts of suicide "hundreds of times a day." Prison authorities have found "half of a razor blade" hidden under his socks, and he has suffered a minor stroke, hallucinations, depression, and self-harm.

The U.S. government's goal, some argue, is to destroy Assange. Editors and publishers of five international media outlets have urged that the U.S. charges against Assange be dropped and he be released. The film "Perpetual War," which contains footage released by Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, argues that the masses must rise up and demand world peace to end war.

As the deadline for Assange's attorneys and the U.S. government to submit a draft order approaches on May 24, the world waits to see how this battle for freedom of speech will unfold. Assange remains in HMS Belmarsh prison and may face another year or more in prison while the appeal process continues. The search results do not provide the names of the judges who handled Assange's appeal against extradition to the United States.

The stakes are high, and the future of journalism hangs in the balance. As the world watches, let us hope that justice prevails and the rights to free speech and a fair trial are upheld.