UK Denies WikiLeaks Founder's Extradition Appeal
Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is now facing charges of sexual assault made by Swedish authorities, following a denial by London's High Court to stop him from being extradited from the United Kingdom.
The allegations began last year, when Assange was arrested last December under a European Arrest Warrant after two women claimed to be victims of sexual assault when Assange visited Scandinavia. He was released on bail and now resides in London, wearing an ankle tag and observing a night-time curfew.
Assange spoke on the steps of the High Court following his loss of the appeal, denying the charges against him and saying the court's proceedings were "merely technical."
"I have not been charged with any crime in any country...No doubt there'll be many attempts made to try and spin these proceedings as they occurred today, but they are merely technical," Assange said.
Assange's next step is deciding whether to appeal to the UK's Supreme Court with permission from the High Court, or to face the Swedish court.
Related:
Wikileaks Founder Takes Heat At Home
Julian Assange: The Significance and Future of the Case Against Him
