Julian Assange’s extradition to US approved by UK government

A But the High Court overturned that decision in December, saying Assange could be extradited on the basis of assurances given by the US government about his treatment there.Rights groups have expressed concerns over the US’s indictment of Assange, saying it undermines freedom of the press.”Allowing Julian Assange to be extradited to the US would put him at great risk and sends a chilling message to journalists the world over,” Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International secretary general, said in a statement Friday.Tim Dawson, executive member of the National Union of Journalists in the UK, who spoke alongside Assange’s wife on Friday, said that the alleged offenses for which the Wikileaks founder was being pursued were “the daily business of almost any investigative journalist.” On Friday, Australia’s Foreign Office issued a statement noting the UK decision to extradite Assange, who is an Australian citizen, adding: “We will continue to convey our expectations that Mr Assange is entitled to due process, humane and fair treatment, access to proper medical care, and access to his legal team.”According to the statement, the Australian government maintains that the Wikileaks founder’s case “has dragged on for too long and that it should be brought to a close.””We will continue to express this view to the governments of the United Kingdom and United States,” it said. CNN’s Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report.