Stella Moris, partner of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaks outside the High Court in London on January 24, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)
Jan 24, 2022
This is a developing story... Check back for possible updates...
A U.K. court ruled Monday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal a December decision permitting his extradition to the United States, where the Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute the journalist for publishing classified information that exposed war crimes.
"What happened in court today is precisely what we wanted to happen," Stella Moris, Assange's fiancee, said during a press conference outside the Royal Courts in central London following the decision. "Make no mistake, we won today in court."
"But let's not forget that every time we win, as long as this case isn't dropped, as long as Julian isn't freed, Julian continues to suffer," Moris added. "He is suffering profoundly, day after day, week after week, year after year. Julian has to be freed, and we hope that this will soon end."
\u201cJulian Assange fiancee Stella Moris speaking outside court after todays victory: "Today we won - but Julian continues to suffer - Julian must be freed" @SkyNews #FreeAssangeNOW @stellamoris1\u201d— WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks) 1643025357
Assange has been imprisoned at a high-security London jail since 2019, under conditions that experts and rights groups have denounced as torturous and a violation of international law.
For years, Assange and his legal team have been fighting attempts by the U.S. to extradite him to face charges under the Espionage Act. Because the charges stem from a common journalistic practice--the publication of classified information--advocacy groups have warned that the U.S. prosecution of Assange poses a severe threat to press freedoms worldwide.
"Journalism is not a crime," British Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, founder of the Peace and Justice Project, said Monday. "Wikileaks exposed crimes of U.S. empire in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. The perpetrators of these crimes walk free, often still prominent public figures in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere. They should be held accountable for the lives they destroyed and the futures they stole."
The court's decision Monday paved the way for Assange to appeal the U.S. extradition attempt--which began under the Trump administration and has continued under President Joe Biden--before the British Supreme Court. The court must agree to accept the case before the appeal process can move forward.
Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement Monday that "we are glad that Julian Assange will be allowed to apply to appeal his extradition in the U.K.'s Supreme Court."
"The prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder in the United States would set a deeply harmful legal precedent that would allow the prosecution of reporters for news gathering activities and must be stopped," said Mahoney. "We strongly encourage the U.S. Justice Department to halt extradition proceedings and drop all charges against Assange."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
This is a developing story... Check back for possible updates...
A U.K. court ruled Monday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal a December decision permitting his extradition to the United States, where the Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute the journalist for publishing classified information that exposed war crimes.
"What happened in court today is precisely what we wanted to happen," Stella Moris, Assange's fiancee, said during a press conference outside the Royal Courts in central London following the decision. "Make no mistake, we won today in court."
"But let's not forget that every time we win, as long as this case isn't dropped, as long as Julian isn't freed, Julian continues to suffer," Moris added. "He is suffering profoundly, day after day, week after week, year after year. Julian has to be freed, and we hope that this will soon end."
\u201cJulian Assange fiancee Stella Moris speaking outside court after todays victory: "Today we won - but Julian continues to suffer - Julian must be freed" @SkyNews #FreeAssangeNOW @stellamoris1\u201d— WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks) 1643025357
Assange has been imprisoned at a high-security London jail since 2019, under conditions that experts and rights groups have denounced as torturous and a violation of international law.
For years, Assange and his legal team have been fighting attempts by the U.S. to extradite him to face charges under the Espionage Act. Because the charges stem from a common journalistic practice--the publication of classified information--advocacy groups have warned that the U.S. prosecution of Assange poses a severe threat to press freedoms worldwide.
"Journalism is not a crime," British Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, founder of the Peace and Justice Project, said Monday. "Wikileaks exposed crimes of U.S. empire in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. The perpetrators of these crimes walk free, often still prominent public figures in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere. They should be held accountable for the lives they destroyed and the futures they stole."
The court's decision Monday paved the way for Assange to appeal the U.S. extradition attempt--which began under the Trump administration and has continued under President Joe Biden--before the British Supreme Court. The court must agree to accept the case before the appeal process can move forward.
Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement Monday that "we are glad that Julian Assange will be allowed to apply to appeal his extradition in the U.K.'s Supreme Court."
"The prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder in the United States would set a deeply harmful legal precedent that would allow the prosecution of reporters for news gathering activities and must be stopped," said Mahoney. "We strongly encourage the U.S. Justice Department to halt extradition proceedings and drop all charges against Assange."
This is a developing story... Check back for possible updates...
A U.K. court ruled Monday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal a December decision permitting his extradition to the United States, where the Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute the journalist for publishing classified information that exposed war crimes.
"What happened in court today is precisely what we wanted to happen," Stella Moris, Assange's fiancee, said during a press conference outside the Royal Courts in central London following the decision. "Make no mistake, we won today in court."
"But let's not forget that every time we win, as long as this case isn't dropped, as long as Julian isn't freed, Julian continues to suffer," Moris added. "He is suffering profoundly, day after day, week after week, year after year. Julian has to be freed, and we hope that this will soon end."
\u201cJulian Assange fiancee Stella Moris speaking outside court after todays victory: "Today we won - but Julian continues to suffer - Julian must be freed" @SkyNews #FreeAssangeNOW @stellamoris1\u201d— WikiLeaks (@WikiLeaks) 1643025357
Assange has been imprisoned at a high-security London jail since 2019, under conditions that experts and rights groups have denounced as torturous and a violation of international law.
For years, Assange and his legal team have been fighting attempts by the U.S. to extradite him to face charges under the Espionage Act. Because the charges stem from a common journalistic practice--the publication of classified information--advocacy groups have warned that the U.S. prosecution of Assange poses a severe threat to press freedoms worldwide.
"Journalism is not a crime," British Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, founder of the Peace and Justice Project, said Monday. "Wikileaks exposed crimes of U.S. empire in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. The perpetrators of these crimes walk free, often still prominent public figures in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere. They should be held accountable for the lives they destroyed and the futures they stole."
The court's decision Monday paved the way for Assange to appeal the U.S. extradition attempt--which began under the Trump administration and has continued under President Joe Biden--before the British Supreme Court. The court must agree to accept the case before the appeal process can move forward.
Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement Monday that "we are glad that Julian Assange will be allowed to apply to appeal his extradition in the U.K.'s Supreme Court."
"The prosecution of the WikiLeaks founder in the United States would set a deeply harmful legal precedent that would allow the prosecution of reporters for news gathering activities and must be stopped," said Mahoney. "We strongly encourage the U.S. Justice Department to halt extradition proceedings and drop all charges against Assange."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.