Thread by @Williamrt

Good morning. Today a court will decide whether Julian Assange should be released on bail from Belmarsh Prison, following the decision by Westminster Magistrate's court not to extradite him to the US on espionage charges. #Assange #Assangetrail

I am joining the hearing through remove video link and will report updates here #Assange #Assangetrial #WikiLeaks

The hearing is due to begin at 10 am, and I believe two hours have been allocated. Assange's defence team will apply for costs. #Assange #Assangetrial

On Monday the court ruled that Assange should not be extradited on the grounds that extradition, and the conditions he would face in US prisons, would be oppressive, because of Assange's health conditions. #Assange #Assangetrial

The judge, Vanessa Baraitser dismissed all other defence arguments. #Assange #Assangetrial

The US government has said it will appeal. If that happens, the case is likely to go to the Supreme Court, and will not be over any time soon. #Assange #Assangetrial

We can now see the court room in Westminster Magisrate's court. There are few people there at present. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Here is a report of Monday's decision. It is accompanied by a 132 page judgment and a 79 page annex.

computerweekly.com/news/252494303…

You can read the judgment here.

judiciary.uk/judgments/usa-…

NGOs and journalists have raised concerns that the verdict will have a chilling effect on investigative journalism, particularly in national security reporting. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Assange has arrived in court wearing a Navy suit and a face covering. #Assange #Assangetrial

The court is taking a ten minute break. We have heard long arguments from Clair Dobbin for the US on why Assange would be a flight risk if he is granted bail #Assange

Dobbin argued that Assange has already shown he will go to great lengths to avoid extradition to the US. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Dobbin argued that WikiLeaks efforts to assist Edward Snowden flee justice in the US show that he cannot be trusted. #Assange #AssangeTrial

She said that Mr Assange and others at WikiLeaks openly displayed their attempts to help Snowden evade arrest. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Assange had arranged distraction operations to assist Snowden, who disclosed thousands of classified documents showing the extent of US mass surveillance, to evade arrest. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Dobbin argued that an offer by Mexico to offer Assange political asylum also increased his risk of absconding. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Court resumes. Fitzgerald speaking for Assange. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Judge Baraitser has refused Assange release on bail. He must remain in Belmarsh prison while he US appeals. #Assange #AssangeTrial

She said "Mr Assange has a huge support network available to him should he go to ground." #Assange #AssangeTrial

The judge said that the US had a right to appeal her decision to discharge Assange. Assange has already shown is ability to abscond, and if he does so again the US will lose the opportunity to appeal. #Assange #AssangeTrial

The judge accepted evidence from Clair Dobbin, contested by Fitzgerald, that three prisoners in Belmarsh prison have Covid and that they had been moved to a Covid spur in the prison away from Assange. #Assange #AssangeTrial

She said that the conditions in Belmarsh bare no comparison to the conditions Assange would face in a US prison. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Judge Baraitser said Assange failed to surrender to the court in December 2012 after he lost his appeal against extradition to Sweden. #AssangeTrial #Assange

He failed to surrender to the court and remained in the Ecuadorian Embassy until his arrest. His express purpose was to avoid extradition to the US, Baraitser said/ #Asssange #AssangeTrial

She said that Assange's mental health conditions were being managed by Belmarsh. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Earlier Edward Fitzgerald QC representing Assange argued that Judge Baraister's ruling in favour of Assange on Monday "had changed everything" when it came to any motive for Assange to abscond. #Assange #AssangeTrial

"The grounds for extradition are gone," he said. "That would be a reason for conditional liberty" #Assange #AssangeTrial

Fitzgerald said that there is now some doubt that the US will continue to pursue the case against Assange under the Biden presidency. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Zachary Terwilliger, the prosecutor driving the Assange case said that he was uncertain whether the case would continue under Biden #AssangeCase #AssangeTrial

Terwilliger: "It will be very interesting to see what happens with this case. There’ll be some decisions to be made. Some of this does come down to resources and where you’re going to focus your energies" #Assange #Assangetrial

See this report here for more on this point:

npr.org/2021/01/05/953…

"This is no the language of this appeal being pursed at all costs," said Fitzgerald. #Assange #AssangeTrial

Fitzgerald had argued that following the ruling on Monday: "Mr Assange has every reason to stay in the jurisdiction where he has the protection of law and every reason to accept bail conditions no matter how stringent". #Assange #AssangeTrial

He said that bail would allow Assange contact with his family and two young children and would anchor him to the community. #AssangeTrial #Assange

He said there was little precedent for courts to overturn rulings to discharge extradition requests for mental health reasons on appeal. #AssangeTrial #Assange

Fitzgerald:"The abscission was eight years ago in a totally different situation, in relation to a totally different request and a different ruling. Since then everything has changed" #Assange #Assangetrial

A significant number of responsible people had offered surety in substantial sums. #Assange #Assangetrial

Dobbins for the US suggested that Assange was at risk of waking into an Embassy in he UK and seeking refuge. #Assange #Assangetrial

She referred to an offer by president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico to offer Assange political asylum. #Assange #AssangeTrial More info here:

bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Fitzgerald, representing Assange said that the offer had been misquoted. Mexico was making an approach to the UK government. It was "going though proper channels to see if he [Assange] can be freed and granted asylum, it is not saying come to our Embassy." #Assange #AssangeTrial

Assange will remain in Belmarsh prison while the case is appealed. He has been held there for 15 months. #Assange #Assangetrial

More later....

Full report here: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to remain in prison despite winning extradition battle, Judges cites his support of @Snowden as one factor in refusing bail. bit.ly/2JPw5eR via @computerweekly #Assange #Assangetrial