Court to rule next week on new bid by Julian Assange to have UK case dropped
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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange speaking from the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador in London, on May 19, 2017.
PHOTO: AFP
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Assange's lawyer Mark Summers then launched a separate argument that even if his client were arrested and brought to court, it would not be in the interests of justice to take any further action.
He said Assange had had "reasonable grounds" for fleeing to the embassy in 2012 because of his fear that he would be ultimately be extradited to the United States.
A United Nations working group has ruled his present situation is "arbitrary, unreasonable, unnecessary and disproportionate," Summers noted.
"The last 5-1/2 years he has spent might be thought adequate, if not severe punishment for the actions he took," he added.
FEARS EXTRADITION TO US
To his supporters, Australian-born Assange is a cyber hero who exposed government abuses of power. To his critics, he is a criminal who undermined the security of the West and endangered lives in many countries by exposing secrets.
His supporters say his health has deteriorated significantly during his years in the embassy, and the London court heard he had suffered depression, dental and shoulder problems.
"His health issues are not that bad," said Arbuthnot.
Should she rule in Assange's favour next Tuesday, it remains unlikely however that he will leave the embassy immediately.
That is because he fears that with the Swedish issue out of the way, the United States will unseal charges against him and that the British authorities would arrest him under a US extradition warrant.
His supporters hope that a court victory will force the British authorities to disclose whether such a warrant has been issued by the US authorities.
His lawyer Jennifer Robinson said in a statement: "We must confront the real issue in this case - if Julian Assange walks out of the embassy today, he risks facing extradition to the US to face prosecution for publishing information in the public interest with Wikileaks."
"Mr Assange remains ready to face British justice ... but not at the risk of being forced to face American injustice..."
