Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY NETWORK
(London, UK) — Julian Assange could be on a plane to the U.S. soon to face spying charges. The Wikileaks founder has been imprisoned in the UK and fighting extradition to the U.S. for more than a decade now. The Australian national faces charges of espionage for publishing classified U.S. documents on his website, documents he and his supporters argue people have a right to see. This week he’s launched an appeal in the UK, hoping for a chance to ask the European Court of Human Rights to block his extradition. If that appeal is denied, he could soon be on a plane bound for the U.S.
Assange is wanted by U.S. authorities on charges that he gave out classified material and unleashed diplomatic cables online for all to see. The 52-year-old could face up to 175 years behind bars if he is found guilty of all the U.S. charges he faces.
