The US has appealed a British judge's ruling that blocked the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a Justice Department official said Friday.
A brief filed late Thursday declared Washington's desire to have Mr Assange stand trial on espionage and hacking-related charges over WikiLeaks' publication of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents beginning in 2009.
The Justice Department had until Friday to register its stance on Judge Vanessa Baraitser's January 4 ruling that Mr Assange suffered mental health problems that would raise the risk of suicide if he were sent to the US for trial.
"Yes, we filed an appeal and we are continuing to pursue extradition," Justice Department spokesman Marc Raimondi said.
After Judge Baraitser's decision, which did not question the legal grounds for the US extradition request, the outgoing Trump administration moved to appeal.
But it was not known until Friday what the incoming Joe Biden administration would do.
After WikiLeaks began publishing US secrets in 2009, then-president Barack Obama, under whom Mr Biden served as vice president, declined to pursue the case.
Mr Assange said WikiLeaks was no different than other media constitutionally protected to publish such materials.
Prosecuting him could lead to cases against other US news organisations for publishing similar material – legal fights the government would likely lose.
But under former president Donald Trump, whose 2016 election campaign received a boost after WikiLeaks published materials that damaged his rival Hillary Clinton, the Justice Department built a national security case against Mr Assange.
In 2019, he was charged under the US Espionage Act and computer crimes laws, with multiple counts of conspiring with and directing others to illegally obtain and release US secrets from 2009 to 2019.
In doing so, he aided and abetted hacking, illegally exposed confidential US sources to danger and used the information to damage the country, according to the charges.
If convicted on all counts, Assange, 49, could face a prison sentence of 175 years.
"Julian Assange is no journalist," said Assistant Attorney General John Demers at the time.
Mr Assange has been detained by British authorities pending the appeal.
Earlier this week, 24 organisations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International USA and Reporters Without Borders, urged Mr Biden to drop the case.
"Journalists at major news publications regularly speak with sources, ask for clarification or more documentation, and receive and publish documents the government considers secret," they said in an open letter.
"In our view, such a precedent in this case could effectively criminalise these common journalistic practices."
Mr Assange's fiancée Stella Moris said in a statement that Judge Baraitser's decision stating that Mr Assange was at high risk for suicide and that US prison facilities were not safe remained a strong reason to deny extradition.
Judge Baraitser "was given clear advice by medical experts that ordering him to stand trial in the US would put his life at risk," she said.
"Any assurances given by the Department of Justice about trial procedures or the prison regime that Julian might face in the US are not only irrelevant but meaningless because the US has a long history of breaking commitments to extraditing countries," she said.
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
Aston martin DBX specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Top speed: 291kph
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: Q2, 2020
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
Size: Seven employees
Funding: $170,000 in angel investment
Funders: friends
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
