Julian Assange 'too unwell' to attend court as final appeal to stop United States extradition begins

Julian Assange may “suffer a flagrant denial of justice” if he is sent to the United States, his lawyers have claimed.

The WikiLeaks founder has begun a final UK challenge in the High Court to prevent his extradition to America where he faces spying charges.

At a two-day hearing, Assange’s legal team are asking judges to grant a new appeal against the extradition order, his last legal roll of the dice in Britain.

His lawyers have argued that American authorities are seeking to punish him for exposing serious criminal acts by the US government.

Assange, 52, was too unwell to attend the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Stella Assange, his wife, said his health was “not in good condition."

“He was sick over Christmas, he’s had a cough since then,” she told reporters.

Assange's family and supporters say his physical and mental health have suffered during more than a decade of legal battles.

He spent seven years in self-exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and the last five years in Belmarsh Prison.

Julian Assange's wife, Stella, spoke to protestors ahead of his two-day hearing in London

Assange has been indicted on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over his website’s publication of classified US documents almost 15 years ago.

American prosecutors say Assange helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.

Stella Assange told supporters gathered outside court the case was about “the right to be able to speak freely without being put in prison and hounded and terrorised by the state.”

Assange is seen by some as the figure head of free speech, after he published documents which exposed wrongdoing by organisations including governments and the US army

If the judges rule against Assange, he can ask the European Court of Human Rights to block his extradition, though supporters worry he could be put on a plane to the US before that happens.

Assange’s lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted, though American authorities have said the sentence is likely to be much shorter.

Lawyers for the US government will set out their case on Wednesday.

James Lewis, representing the US, said Assange was being prosecuted “because he is alleged to have committed serious criminal offences.”

He argued in written submissions that Assange’s actions “threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States.”

The High Court judges could deliver a verdict at the end of the hearing on Wednesday, but they are more likely to take several weeks to consider their decision.

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