A British court today permitted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the U.S. on "espionage" charges, reversing an earlier ruling that cited Assange's mental health and the brutal conditions in U.S. prisons. Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett wrote in his ruling that the U.S. had given the U.K. new assurances that Assange would not be held in "highly restrictive prison conditions" and would be given "fair and humane treatment."
The US had offered four assurances, including that Mr Assange would not be subject to solitary confinement pre or post-trial or detained at the ADX Florence Supermax jail – a maximum security prison in Colorado – if extradited.
Lawyers for the US said he would be allowed to transfer to Australia to serve any prison sentence he may be given closer to home.
And they argued Mr Assange's mental illness "does not even come close" to being severe enough to prevent him from being extradited.
But lawyers representing Mr Assange argued the assurances over his future treatment were "meaningless" and "vague".
