Assange fears “death penalty or Guantanamo” if extradited

The full extradition hearing will begin on Feb. 7 and last two days.

 World Bulletin,  January 12,  2011

The lawyer of Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblower website Wikileaks, has said that the journalist faces the threat of the death penalty or detention at Guantanamo Bay if he is extradited to Sweden on accusations of rape and sexual assault.

The Guardian quoted Assange’s legal team as saying in a skeleton summary of their defence against attempts by the Swedish director of public prosecutions to extradite him, that there is a similar possibility that the US would eventually seek his extradition “and/or illegal rendition where there will be a real risk of him being detained at Guantanamo Bay or elsewhere”.

“Indeed, if Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty. It is well known that prominent figures have implied, if not stated outright, that Assange should be executed,” they added.

The 35-page skeleton argument was released by Mark Stephens, Assange’s lawyer, following a brief review hearing at Belmarsh magistrate’s court on Tuesday, the paper said.

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