Strasbourg: The Council of Europe said on Wednesday that its Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic had called on the UK government not to allow the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States.
“In a letter, published today, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, called on UK Home Secretary Priti Patel not to extradite Julian Assange,” the council said in a statement.
With the decision on Assange’s extradition pending, the commissioner decided to convey his views on the matter directly to Patel, sending him the letter on May 10. In particular, she noted that “the wider human rights implications of Assange’s possible extradition … have not been adequately considered so far.”
“The broad and vague nature of the allegations against Assange, and of the offences listed in the indictment, are troubling as many of them concern activities at the core of investigative journalism in Europe and beyond. Consequently, allowing Assange’s extradition on this basis would have a chilling effect on media freedom” the letter read.
On Tuesday, Assange’s defense filed a representation to the UK home secretary to block his extradition to the United States.
