London: British prison authorities have given WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be allowed to marry while in custody, his fiancee has said, as he awaits a crucial court ruling on possible US extradition.
Assange, wanted by Washington to face various charges related to the massive leak of confidential documents, plans to marry Stella Morris, a former member of his legal team with whom he has two children.
he is being held in belmarshaw High-security prison in London as the High Court prepares to rule on a US appeal against a lower court’s decision to block his extradition.
WikiLeaks said in a statement late Thursday that the couple had initiated legal action “after being essentially blocked from being able to marry”.
“Good news: UK government support 24 hours ahead of deadline,” Morris wrote on Twitter, alongside a photo of the couple standing under a rainbow.
“Julian and I are now allowed to marry at Belmarsh Prison.
“I am relieved but still angry that legal action was necessary to stop illegal interference with our basic right to marry.”
A spokesman for the prison service said: “Mr Assange’s application was received, considered and processed in the usual manner by the prison governor, like any other inmate.”
Assange, a 50-year-old Australian national, was arrested on bail in the UK in 2019 after spending seven years inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced sexual assault charges. These were later dropped.
The US government indicted him on 18 charges related to the release of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq by WikiLeaks in 2010.
This could lead to him up to 175 years in prison, although Washington’s legal team claims his possible sentence is difficult to estimate and could be much shorter.
However, UK District Court Judge Vanessa Bariter ruled in January that extraditing Assange would be “oppressive” because of the serious risk of suicide and mental health deterioration.
The US is currently appealing the decision, with the High Court ruling within weeks whether to refer the case to a lower court for fresh consideration.
Whoever loses can ask permission for another, final appeal to the UK Supreme Court.
Assange, wanted by Washington to face various charges related to the massive leak of confidential documents, plans to marry Stella Morris, a former member of his legal team with whom he has two children.
he is being held in belmarshaw High-security prison in London as the High Court prepares to rule on a US appeal against a lower court’s decision to block his extradition.
WikiLeaks said in a statement late Thursday that the couple had initiated legal action “after being essentially blocked from being able to marry”.
“Good news: UK government support 24 hours ahead of deadline,” Morris wrote on Twitter, alongside a photo of the couple standing under a rainbow.
“Julian and I are now allowed to marry at Belmarsh Prison.
“I am relieved but still angry that legal action was necessary to stop illegal interference with our basic right to marry.”
A spokesman for the prison service said: “Mr Assange’s application was received, considered and processed in the usual manner by the prison governor, like any other inmate.”
Assange, a 50-year-old Australian national, was arrested on bail in the UK in 2019 after spending seven years inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced sexual assault charges. These were later dropped.
The US government indicted him on 18 charges related to the release of 500,000 secret files detailing aspects of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq by WikiLeaks in 2010.
This could lead to him up to 175 years in prison, although Washington’s legal team claims his possible sentence is difficult to estimate and could be much shorter.
However, UK District Court Judge Vanessa Bariter ruled in January that extraditing Assange would be “oppressive” because of the serious risk of suicide and mental health deterioration.
The US is currently appealing the decision, with the High Court ruling within weeks whether to refer the case to a lower court for fresh consideration.
Whoever loses can ask permission for another, final appeal to the UK Supreme Court.
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