London appeal ruling in Assange extradition case Friday: court

Two judges will on Friday give their ruling on a US government appeal against a decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from Britain.

Court listings for the Royal Courts of Justice in London published on Thursday said a judgment in the long-running case will be handed down at 1015 GMT on Friday.

Washington wants to put the 50-year-old Australian on trial over the publication of classified military documents relating to the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The extradition was blocked in January this year on the grounds that Assange would be a suicide risk if he were removed to the United States and held in isolation.

But lawyers for the US government in October argued the original judge had not given sufficient weight to other expert testimony about Assange's mental state.

They have also sought to assure the court he would not be held in a federal supermax prison, and would receive appropriate treatment.

The case has become a cause celebre for free speech with Assange's supporters arguing WikiLeaks has the same rights as other media to publish secret material in the public interest. 

Assange himself has been in custody since 2019, despite having served a previous sentence for breaching bail conditions in a separate case.

The maverick publisher spent seven years at Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid being removed to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations that were later dropped.

While at the South American country's mission, he fathered two children with his partner, Stella Moris, a member of his legal team.

Friday's decision is not likely to be the end of the matter. Should the US government win, the case will be sent back to the lower court for a new decision.

Whoever loses can also ask for permission for a further, final appeal to the UK's Supreme Court.