Granting Julian Assange leave to appeal his extradition is a “huge blow” to a US case to extradite him from the UK and one that could be insurmountable, his Australian-based lawyer says. Jennifer Robinson, who has represented Assange since 2010, said the British High Court’s decision was a major relief for Assange and his family but it could be months before the new appeal is heard. “It’s only a temporary reprieve, he’s still at risk of extradition and that’s something that everybody needs to realise,” she said on Tuesday.
“We haven’t won yet. This is just one step along a very, very long road.” The judges accepted there was an arguable case Assange could be discriminated against, after being told a US prosecutor had said the First Amendment may not apply to foreigners when it came to national security.
“So the key question now is will he, as an Australian citizen and national and journalist and publisher, be entitled to the First Amendment, or will he be discriminated against on the grounds of his nationality,” Ms Robinson said. “We say he will be and that that cannot be remedied.” The US was in a difficult legal position, Ms Robinson said, with Assange’s team given permission to lodge a fresh appeal.
“It’s a huge blow to their case and one that could be insurmountable,” she said. The Australian government has lobbied the US administration to bring its case to an end. “By allowing this appeal process to continue, they’re only keeping.