News
UK court to hear final Assange appeal against extradition to US
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Court.jpg&description=UK court to hear final Assange appeal against extradition to US', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Court.jpg&description=UK court to hear final Assange appeal against extradition to US', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
By Francesca Hangeior
The High Court in London Tuesday will begin hearing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s final UK appeal against extradition to the United States to face trial over publishing secret military and diplomatic files.
Washington wants the 52-year-old Australian citizen extradited after he was charged there multiple times between 2018 and 2020 in connection with WikiLeaks’ 2010 publication of files relating to the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The long-running legal saga in Britain’s courts is now nearing a conclusion, after Assange lost successive rulings in recent years.
If this week’s two-day bid to appeal set to begin at 10:30 am (1030 GMT) Tuesday is successful, he will have another chance to argue his case in a London court, with a date set for a full hearing.
If he loses, Assange will have exhausted all UK appeals and will enter the extradition process, although his team have indicated they will appeal to European courts.
His wife Stella Assange has said he will ask the European Court of Human Rights to temporarily halt the extradition if needed, warning he would die if sent to the United States.
“Tomorrow and the day after will determine whether he lives or dies essentially, and he’s physically and mentally obviously in a very difficult place,” she told BBC radio on Monday.
US President Joe Biden has faced sustained pressure, both domestically and internationally, to drop the 18-count indictment Assange faces in federal court in Virginia, which was filed under his predecessor Donald Trump.
Major media organisations, press freedom advocates and the Australian parliament are among those decrying the prosecution under the 1917 Espionage Act, which has never been used before over publishing classified information.
But Washington has maintained the case, which alleges Assange and others at WikiLeaks recruited and agreed with hackers to conduct “one of the largest compromises of classified information” in US history.
Assange, detained in the high-security Belmarsh Prison in southeast London since April 2019, was arrested after spending seven years holed up in Ecuador’s London embassy.
He fled there to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced accusations of sexual assault which were later dropped.
The High Court had blocked his extradition, but then reversed the decision on appeal in 2021 after the United States vowed to not imprison him in its most extreme prison, “ADX Florence”.
It also pledged not to subject him to the harsh regime known as “Special Administrative Measures”.
In March 2022, the UK’s Supreme Court refused permission to appeal, arguing Assange failed to “raise an arguable point of law”.
Months later, ex-interior minister Priti Patel formally signed off on his extradition, but Assange is now seeking permission to review that decision and the 2021 appeal ruling.
If convicted in the United States, he faces a maximum sentence of 175 years in jail.
Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks’ editor-in-chief, told reporters last week that caveats included within the US promises meant they were “not worth the paper they are written on”.
On the same day, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced the years-long legal pursuit of Assange, saying “enough is enough”.
It followed the country’s parliament passing a motion calling for an end to his prosecution.
News
I commend our security forces for the successful rescue of Oyo school children – Hon TeeJay Yusuf
Former member of the House of Representatives and a top notch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Hon TeeJay Yusuf has commended gallant security operatives for the successful rescue of Oyo school children after 56 days in captivity.
This was contained in a commendation letter personally signed by the three-term former lawmaker(2011-2023) on Saturday.
In the commentation letter, Yusuf said: “I warmly commend our gallant security forces for the successful rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers after more than 50 days in the captivity of their abductors.
“Their safe return is a profound relief to their families and to all Nigerians who have kept them in their thoughts and prayers throughout this difficult period.
” This successful operation reflects the courage, professionalism, resilience, and unwavering commitment of our security personnel in the service of our nation.
“While we celebrate this outcome, we must remain steadfast in strengthening our collective resolve to end kidnapping and all forms of criminality across the country. Every Nigerian deserves to live, learn, and work in safety.
“I congratulate all those who played a role in securing their freedom and pray that God will continue to protect, strengthen, and guide our security forces as they carry out their vital responsibility.
The Presidency has thrown its heavy weight behind the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over the recent controversy involving Peter Obi at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, insisting that the former Anambra State governor breached established parking regulations.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the facts presented by the aviation minister contradicted Obi’s claim that his vehicle was deliberately targeted by authorities.
The dispute stems from an incident on July 4, 2026, when Obi alleged that officials clamped the tyres of his vehicle at the Abuja airport as part of what he described as continued persecution by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu.
Following the allegation, Keyamo said he ordered an investigation into the matter. According to the minister, the findings showed that Obi’s vehicle was parked in violation of airport regulations and was clamped only after officials allowed sufficient time for it to be moved.
Keyamo maintained that Obi had already exited the vehicle before enforcement officers carried out the action, making it impossible for airport personnel to have identified the car as belonging to the opposition figure or singled him out for special treatment.
The minister further stated that after the police officer attached to Obi informed him that the vehicle had been clamped, the former presidential candidate secured its release without paying the prescribed penalty, despite what he described as a clear breach of airport security rules.
Reacting on his verified X account, Onanuga said the minister’s explanation had laid to rest claims that Obi was unfairly targeted.
He said, “Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo explains how Peter Obi’s car violated parking rules at the Airport, how it was clamped and how Peter Obi peddled his influence to get the car released without paying the mandatory fine. Keyamo has now decided that Peter Obi must pay the N25,000 fine for wrongful, illegal and dangerous parking.
“The Minister’s account of what happened on July 4 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, completely debunked Obi’s falsehood that he was unduly targeted and persecuted. The truth is that he and his police driver broke a simple parking rule at the Airport.”
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, says the rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren and teachers is worthy of thanksgiving.
Obi said this in a post on his verified X handle on Saturday.
He said he is greatly relieved and delighted to learn of the safe rescue of the schoolchildren who were kidnapped.
“This is worthy of thanksgiving. I sincerely thank all those whose tireless efforts made their freedom possible, especially the security personnel and everyone who worked behind the scenes.
“While we celebrate this happy outcome, we must remember that no child should ever have to endure such trauma.
“The recurring incidents of kidnapping, particularly of schoolchildren, underscore the urgent need to strengthen our security architecture and make the protection of lives and property the foremost responsibility of government.
“Our children deserve to learn in an atmosphere of safety, not fear. We must continue to work towards building a Nigeria where every child can pursue education without the threat of violence or abduction.
“I rejoice with the children, their families, their schools, and all Nigerians on this heartening development,” he wrote.
I commend our security forces for the successful rescue of Oyo school children – Hon TeeJay Yusuf
Fine: Presidency throws weight behind Aviation minister, Keyamo’s ultimatum to Peter Obi
Oyo school children freedom: Peter Obi reacts says “it’s worthy of thanksgiving ‘
-
Sports22 hours ago2026 World Cup: Morocco Coach Ouahbi praises France’s victory
-
News22 hours agoDAY 23 of Projects Commissioning in the FCT
-
News15 hours agoKidnapped Oyo Pupils, Teachers finally Regain freedom – Presidency
-
Sports22 hours agoMbappe gives reason why he missed penalty in France’s World Cup Quarter-Final Victory Over Morocco
-
Metro5 hours agoMan who slashed his manhood set it ablaze back in the street
-
News20 hours agoJoint troop foil multiple ISWAP infiltration attempts in Borno
-
News20 hours agoVice President narrowly escapes Military helicopter crash
-
News5 hours agoTinubu overjoyed as Oyo abductees finally regain freedom