London: A British judge on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The Wikileaks founder has been jailed in Britain since 2019 as he fights extradition to the United States. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ordered Assange to remain in prison while the courts consider an appeal by US authorities against a decision not to extradite him.
The same judge Monday had rejected an American request to send Assange to the US to face espionage charges over WikiLeaks publication of secret military documents a decade ago. She denied extradition on health grounds. The judge said the 49-year-old Australian was likely to kill himself if held under harsh US prison conditions.
Also read: UK judge refuses extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US
The judge however, was not ready give bail to Assange. She said that Assange ‘has an incentive to abscond’ and there is a good chance he would fail to return to court if freed.
The judge also pointed out that Assange is influential and so it is better that he stays in prison.