Priti Patel Julian Assange
Priti Patel, the UK Home Secretary, was involved in the decision-making process regarding Julian Assange's extradition to the United States. In June 2022, Patel approved the extradition of Assange to the US, a decision that was immediately appealed by WikiLeaks.
Prior to this, in April 2022, a court had authorized the case to be sent to Patel for her final decision.
Patel's decision came after the UK Supreme Court ruled that there were no legal questions over assurances given by US authorities on Assange's likely treatment.5 The extradition request was based on charges under the Espionage Act, which could result in a sentence of up to 175 years.
There were concerns raised about Patel's potential conflicts of interest, as she had been a political adviser to and received funding from a right-wing lobby group, the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), which had attacked Assange in the British media.
The HJS had hosted former CIA directors and had been critical of Assange and WikiLeaks.1
Assange's legal team argued that the extradition would set a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and that the US justice system could impose harsh sentences.
Additionally, there were concerns about Assange's health, with 60 doctors warning that his health was so bad that he could die in prison.7
Patel's decision was met with criticism from various quarters, including journalists and MPs, who argued that it set a dangerous precedent for press freedom and democracy.
Assange's fiancée, Stella Moris, also appealed to Patel to end the "political case" against him.