Julian Assange's arrest on Thursday in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London opens the next chapter in the saga of the WikiLeaks founder: an expected extradition fight over a pending criminal prosecution in the United States.
It's also likely to trigger a debate over press freedom and call attention to unresolved questions about Assange's role in the release of stolen Democratic emails leading up to the 2016 presidential election, part of special counsel Robert Mueller's recently concluded investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.Assange, for now at least, faces a single count of computer intrusion conspiracy.
That distinction could be vital in the government's case and complicates Assange's efforts to cast the prosecution as infringing on press freedom. Justice Department media guidelines are meant to protect journalists from prosecution for doing their jobs, which has historically included the publication of classified information.
"His conduct, and his organization's conduct, I believe, undermines any defence that he would pursue having to do with his genuine interest in rooting out corruption and his absolute commitment to transparency," Fayhee said. "Because Russia is anything but the right model to point to in terms of transparency."Assange is expected to fight extradition to the U.S., a process that could stretch out for years.
Ecuador's president, Lenin Moreno, said he had secured a guarantee from the United Kingdom that Assange wouldn't be extradited to a country where he could face a death penalty. That's likely a reassurance to Assange's supporters, but the charge he currently faces carries just a five-year maximum penalty.
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