Extradition of Julian Assange , Approved by UK Judge.<br />Extradition of Julian Assange , Approved by UK Judge.<br />A British judge approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on April 20.<br />Assange watched the ruling from Belmarsh Prison, where he has been held since he was expelled from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.<br />Assange faces a host of charges in the U.S., including spying.<br />The charges relate to the publication of classified documents on the WikiLeaks platform that occurred more than 10 years ago.<br />In approving the extradition, the judge <br />gives the authority over the case to the interior minister of the U.K.<br />While U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel could decide to extradite Assange to the U.S..<br />other legal options still remain <br />to appeal such a decision.<br />Lawyers for Assange will <br />also appeal directly to Patel.<br />They have four weeks to do so and have stated they will work toward making the "serious submissions.".<br />The charges against Assange include <br />17 counts of espionage. .<br />U.S. prosecutors contend that when Assange published classified communications intercepted by a U.S. Army analyst.<br />he not only broke the law but risked the lives of those affected by the communications.<br />Lawyers for Assange state that as a journalist, Assange is entitled to First Amendment protections.<br />and that the case against him is largely motivated by politics.<br />According to his lawyers, Assange faces up to 175 years in U.S. prison
