Assange fears death in US, to fight extradition to Sweden

LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will argue he should not be extradited from Britain to Sweden over alleged sex crimes because he could end up in the United States facing the death penalty, his lawyers said on Tuesday.

The Australian computer expert, who has infuriated Washington by releasing details of secret US diplomatic cables on his website, is wanted for questioning by Sweden over allegations of sexual offences. Following his appearance in a London court on Tuesday, lawyers published an outline of the defence he will use at a full extradition hearing next month, in which they said Assange faced possible execution in the US.

"Indeed, if Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty," said the document on website of law firm Finers Stephens Innocent.

If Assange ends up in the United States, the document adds, there is "a real risk" he would be subject to ill-treament or even torture, both prohibited under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Assange said his organisation would press ahead with its release of documents despite his own legal battle.

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