Assange’s Extradition Battle Enters Final Stage
15:25 01/02/2012 LONDON, February 1 (RIA Novosti) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s legal battle against his extradition to Sweden is entering its final stage, with Britain’s Supreme Court set to consider his deportation appeal in a two-day hearing beginning on Wednesday.
Assange, who gained global notoriety after WikiLeaks published thousands of classified U.S. documents beginning in 2010, was arrested in London in December that year at the request of Sweden. The Scandinavian country's authorities accuse him of sexually abusing two Swedish women while on a visit to Stockholm in August 2010.
The 39-year-old Australian was released on bail a few days after his arrest and has since remained under house arrest outside London. He has denied the charges.
The Supreme Court has said seven judges rather than the usual five will hear the case "given the great public importance of the issues raised.” Their decision is expected in several weeks.
Assange’s defense lawyers have argued his extradition would breach his human rights as he could be eventually deported to the United States and face the death penalty on charges related to WikiLeaks.
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