What's in store for Julian Assange?

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It appears that Julian Assange, the Internet whistleblower behind WikiLeaks, will be extradited to Sweden to face charges of sexual abuse. But Assange and his sympathizers claim the case against him is politically motivated, fabricated in retaliation for WikiLeak's release of classified U.S. diplomatic cables.

It appears that Julian Assange, the Internet whistleblower behind WikiLeaks, will be extradited to Sweden to face charges of sexual abuse. But Assange and his sympathizers claim the case against him is politically motivated, fabricated in retaliation for WikiLeak's release of classified U.S. diplomatic cables.

Judge Howard Riddle approved Assange's extradition from the UK. The Australian Internet activist will now have to appeal to the High Court of London and possibly even the Supreme Court to remain in the UK.

His lawyers have already laid all the legal groundwork. Both the defense and the prosecution, in fact, were prepared for an appeal before the judge ruled on Sweden's extradition request, indicating that neither side was sure how Judge Riddle would rule up to the very end.

Assange's fate is likely to be decided this summer or autumn, depending on how fast the appeal process moves.

Under British law, the High Court begins hearings on an appeal within 40 days of its filing. A ruling of the High Court can be appealed to the Supreme Court, the highest appellate court in the UK.

If the Supreme Court upholds Judge Riddle's decision, Assange will be extradited to Sweden within ten days.

Judge Riddle approved Sweden's extradition request, reasoning that the charges brought against Assange in Sweden are punishable under UK law.

To successfully appeal the ruling, Assange's lawyers will have to pull of an extraordinary legal stunt.

If extradited, Assange will not be able to enjoy the same level of comfort he has enjoyed in the UK, where he was released on bail and allowed to stay in a friend's mansion in the British countryside. In Sweden, rape suspects are never released on bail.

Assange faces up to four years in prison if convicted on charges of rape and sex coercion. Sweden's sexual crime laws are among the strictest in the world. The Swedes have the longest list of actions that qualify as nonconsensual sex.

Assange fears that he will be extradited from Sweden to the Unites States to face espionage charges. There is still no consensus in Washington on whether Assange should be prosecuted and, if so, on what grounds. Were Assange to be found guilty under the Espionage Law of 1917, as some have proposed, Assange could face the death penalty.

Washington has already set the legal precedent that hackers who commit crimes in American cyberspace can be tried in the United States.

However, Swedish law prohibits extradition to other countries if there are grounds to believe that the suspect will be prosecuted for political reasons. Assange's efforts to cut Big Brother down to size could turn him into a prisoner of conscience in the eyes of the Swedish judiciary.

Before making an extradition request, a grand jury in the United States must first decide if there is enough evidence to bring espionage charges against Assange. Such deliberations usually take place behind closed doors, so we can only speculate on whether and when this will happen. But calls to bring Assange can now be heard both in the Pentagon and in Congress, with some equating him to an al-Qaeda terrorist. The U.S. attorney general has said the issue is under review.

Even if Washington decides to go after Assange, it remains to be seen whether, Sweden, which signed an extradition accord with the U.S. in 1961, will agree to hand him over. The British may also reject a U.S. extradition request. Indeed, the Australian is not charged with any of the crimes listed in the extradition law.

Judge Riddle insisted that Sweden shouldn't make a decision on extraditing Assange to the United States without first consulting with Britain. The U.S.-British extradition law signed in 2003 also prohibits the extradition of suspects wanted for political reasons. However, it is not unheard of for governments to misrepresent laws in court and to find loopholes to get what they want. Should the White House attempt to circumvent the law, however, it will be subjected to a barrage of accusations of double standards and criminalizing political dissent. And this is the last thing the Obama administration needs as it gears up for the 2012 presidential election.

For their part, Assange's supporters in the blogger association Anonymous have threatened that if the UK extradites their idol, they will wage cyber war on the British government.

The views expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

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