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Assange to be extradited to Sweden
Julian Assange arriving at court Mr Assange will appeal against the extradition ruling, his lawyer told the court
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Wikileaks Revelations

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations, a judge has ruled.

Mr Assange will appeal at the High Court against the ruling, delivered at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in London, following a hearing two weeks ago.

The 39-year-old denies three allegations of sexual assault and one of rape last August in Stockholm.

Mr Assange says the claims are politically motivated because of the work of his whistle-blowing website.

Wikileaks has made headlines worldwide with the publication of sensitive material from governments and high-profile organisations, including leaked US diplomatic cables.

Mr Assange was arrested on 7 December under a European Arrest Warrant, and spent nine days in Wandsworth prison before being released on bail.

During the hearing two weeks ago, Mr Assange's lawyer argued that rape trials in Sweden were regularly "tried in secret behind closed doors in a flagrant denial of justice".
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Judge said there was no evidence that #Assange would be extradited to US for torture as a traitor”

End Quote BBC's Anna Adams tweeting from court


Geoffrey Robertson QC also said his client could later be extradited to the US on separate charges relating to Wikileaks, and could face the death penalty there.

Clare Montgomery QC, for the Swedish authorities, told the hearing that evidence from a trial would be heard in private but the arguments would be made in public.

In response to the suggested risk of extradition to the US and a possible death penalty, she said Sweden provided "protection against that sort of threat and violation" taking place.

The European Court of Human Rights would intervene if Mr Assange was to face the prospect of "inhuman or degrading treatment or an unfair trial" in the US, she said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12564865