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A United Kingdom judge has sent the case of Wikileaks’ founder Julian Assange to Home Secretary Priti Patel, who will now decide whether he will be extradited - bringing the long-running legal battle close to an end. Mr Assange can appeal any decision made by Ms Patel within 14 days. Advisor to the Assange Campaign Greg Barns says the outcome was expected and now the matter is no longer a legal one, the Australian government can step in. “Previously the Australian government had said ‘we can’t intervene because the matter is before the courts’, it’s no longer before the courts in that sense,” he told Sky News Australia. “This is a political decision that will be made by Priti Patel and it’s a decision that the Australian government, and of course in this context the opposition, could influence.” Mr Barns said Mr Assange was “an Australian citizen facing an effective death penalty” for leaking proof of American war crimes. “It’s a very dangerous precedent this case for journalists and that’s a point that’s been made clear by media organisations around the world including in Australia,” he said.
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