Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's lawyer has claimed that US President Donald Trump's vendetta against journalists is responsible for his extradition bid.

His lawyer Edward Fitzgerald argued the charges were "politically motivated" and that the US had reversed a 2013 decision not to charge Assange because Trump wanted "to make an example" of him.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-offered-to-pardon-assange-if-he-denied-russia-helped-leak-democrats-emails-lawyer-281717">Trump offered to pardon Assange if he denied Russia helped leak Democrats' emails: Lawyer</a>

"President Trump came into power with a new approach to the freedom of the press... amounting effectively to declaring war on investigative journalists," he told a packed courtroom in southeast London.

Fitzgerald said his client was "the obvious symbol of all that Trump condemned" and that charging him for publishing state secrets was "unprecedented".

"The prosecution is being pursued for ulterior political motives and not in good faith," he added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wikileaks-assange-in-court-ahead-of-us-extradition-hearing-next-week-281675">Wikileaks' Assange in court ahead of US extradition hearing next week</a>

The arguments were made in a London court on Monday at the start of Assange's extradition hearing.

Making the US government case, James Lewis denied it was motivated by embarrassment over the WikiLeaks releases and wanted him over the "harm" caused by his disclosures.

Assange sat impassively inside Woolwich Crown Court as a lawyer for the United States accused him of risking the lives of intelligence sources by publishing classified US government documents.

He is facing charges under the US Espionage Act for the 2010 release by his anti-secrecy website of a trove of files detailing the realities of US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's lawyer has claimed that US President Donald Trump's vendetta against journalists is responsible for his extradition bid. His lawyer Edward Fitzgerald argued the charges were "politically motivated" and that the US had reversed a 2013 decision not to charge Assange because Trump wanted "to make an example" of him.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's lawyer has claimed that US President Donald Trump's vendetta against journalists is responsible for his extradition bid. His lawyer Edward Fitzgerald argued the charges were "politically motivated" and that the US had reversed a 2013 decision not to charge Assange because Trump wanted "to make an example" of him. Also read: Trump offered to pardon Assange if he denied Russia helped leak Democrats' emails: Lawyer "President Trump came into power with a new approach to the freedom of the press... amounting effectively to declaring war on investigative journalists," he told a packed courtroom in southeast London. Fitzgerald said his client was "the obvious symbol of all that Trump condemned" and that charging him for publishing state secrets was "unprecedented". "The prosecution is being pursued for ulterior political motives and not in good faith," he added. Also read: Wikileaks' Assange in court ahead of US extradition hearing next week The arguments were made in a London court on Monday at the start of Assange's extradition hearing. Making the US government case, James Lewis denied it was motivated by embarrassment over the WikiLeaks releases and wanted him over the "harm" caused by his disclosures. Assange sat impassively inside Woolwich Crown Court as a lawyer for the United States accused him of risking the lives of intelligence sources by publishing classified US government documents. He is facing charges under the US Espionage Act for the 2010 release by his anti-secrecy website of a trove of files detailing the realities of US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Trump's 'war on journalists' behind Julian Assange's extradition bid: Lawyer

WikiLeaks founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-doctors-claim-julian-assange-is-being-psychologically-tortured-281313">Julian Assange</a> is no longer being held in solitary confinement and his health is improving, his colleague and spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told reporters on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-doctors-claim-julian-assange-is-being-psychologically-tortured-281313">Assange</a>, 48, is in prison in London, fighting an extradition request from the United States, where he faces 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law.

His supporters had expressed concern about the state of his health after he appeared confused during a court hearing in October, struggling to recall his age and name and saying he was unable to think properly.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-doctors-claim-julian-assange-is-being-psychologically-tortured-281313">Doctors claim Julian Assange is being 'psychologically tortured'</a>

"I saw him about 10 days ago. He has improved thanks to the pressure from his legal team, the general public, and amazingly, actually from other inmates in Belmarsh Prison to get him out of isolation," Hrafnsson told a news conference ahead of an extradition hearing that starts next week.

The Australian-born <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-doctors-claim-julian-assange-is-being-psychologically-tortured-281313">Assange </a>made global headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified US&nbsp;military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff.

WikiLeaks later angered the United States by publishing caches of leaked military documents and diplomatic cables.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/julian-assange-heroic-whistleblower-now-battles-rape-allegation-218445">Julian Assange: Heroic Whistleblower now battles rape allegation</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/julian-assange-heroic-whistleblower-now-battles-rape-allegation-218445">Assange </a>has consistently said that his legal travails were politically motivated, presenting himself as a champion of free speech who was being persecuted for exposing abuses of power. But his critics paint him as a dangerous figure complicit in Russian efforts to undermine the West.

He fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning about allegations of sex crimes which have since been dropped. He spent seven years holed up in the embassy, until Ecuador decided to stop giving him refuge. He was dragged out in May 2019.

His father, John Shipton, said Assange's long confinement indoors had damaged his health.

"The ceaseless anxiety that Julian's been under for now 10 years has had a profoundly deleterious effect," he told BBC television on Tuesday.

"I imagine that he will be really worried because being sent to the United States is a death sentence."

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is no longer being held in solitary confinement and his health is improving, his colleague and spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told reporters on Tuesday.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is no longer being held in solitary confinement and his health is improving, his colleague and spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told reporters on Tuesday. Assange, 48, is in prison in London, fighting an extradition request from the United States, where he faces 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. His supporters had expressed concern about the state of his health after he appeared confused during a court hearing in October, struggling to recall his age and name and saying he was unable to think properly. Also read: Doctors claim Julian Assange is being 'psychologically tortured' "I saw him about 10 days ago. He has improved thanks to the pressure from his legal team, the general public, and amazingly, actually from other inmates in Belmarsh Prison to get him out of isolation," Hrafnsson told a news conference ahead of an extradition hearing that starts next week. The Australian-born Assange made global headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified US military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff. WikiLeaks later angered the United States by publishing caches of leaked military documents and diplomatic cables. Also see: Julian Assange: Heroic Whistleblower now battles rape allegation Assange has consistently said that his legal travails were politically motivated, presenting himself as a champion of free speech who was being persecuted for exposing abuses of power. But his critics paint him as a dangerous figure complicit in Russian efforts to undermine the West. He fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning about allegations of sex crimes which have since been dropped. He spent seven years holed up in the embassy, until Ecuador decided to stop giving him refuge. He was dragged out in May 2019. His father, John Shipton, said Assange's long confinement indoors had damaged his health. "The ceaseless anxiety that Julian's been under for now 10 years has had a profoundly deleterious effect," he told BBC television on Tuesday. "I imagine that he will be really worried because being sent to the United States is a death sentence."

Wikileaks founder Assange's health improving in prison: Spokesman

A group of doctors and psychologists have claimed that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Wikileaks </a>founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Julian Assange</a> is being psychologically tortured, pending his extradition on espionage charges to the United States.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;group of 117 professionals from 18 nations have written an open letter to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/eat-lancet-diet-unaffordable-for-158-billion-people-study-260880">Lancet </a>medical journal.

They have warned that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange </a>is ''in dire state of health due to psychological torture'' and could be "effectively tortured to death in prison".

Watch: Doctors Warning : Julian Assange can 'die' in UK jail

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

They have asked to put an end to the ''psychological torture and medical neglect''.

"We condemn the torture of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange</a>. We condemn the denial of his fundamental right to appropriate healthcare," they wrote in the scientific magazine.

"Since doctors first began assessing Mr <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange </a>in the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2015, expert medical opinion and doctors' urgent recommendations have been consistently ignored."

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/julian-assange-heroic-whistleblower-now-battles-rape-allegation-218445">Julian Assange: Heroic Whistleblower now battles rape allegation</a>

"Our appeals are simple: we are calling upon governments to end the torture of Mr <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange </a>and ensure his access to the best available healthcare, before it is too late," the group of doctors said.

UN special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer has repeatedly warned that Assange has begun to exhibit signs of psychological torture.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange </a>was briefly transferred from prison to a medical facility last year because of his frail health.

The 48-year-old Australian is facing 18 counts in the United States, 17 of them under the Espionage Act that could see him jailed for 175 years.

Washington's extradition request will start being heard next Monday at Woolwich Crown Court. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/doctors-warning-julian-assange-could-die-in-uk-jail-281295">Assange </a>is being held at the neighbouring high-security Belmarsh Prison.

A group of doctors and psychologists have claimed that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is being psychologically tortured, pending his extradition on espionage charges to the United States.

A group of doctors and psychologists have claimed that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is being psychologically tortured, pending his extradition on espionage charges to the United States. A group of 117 professionals from 18 nations have written an open letter to the Lancet medical journal. They have warned that Assange is ''in dire state of health due to psychological torture'' and could be "effectively tortured to death in prison". Watch: Doctors Warning : Julian Assange can 'die' in UK jail They have asked to put an end to the ''psychological torture and medical neglect''. "We condemn the torture of Assange. We condemn the denial of his fundamental right to appropriate healthcare," they wrote in the scientific magazine. "Since doctors first began assessing Mr Assange in the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2015, expert medical opinion and doctors' urgent recommendations have been consistently ignored." Also see: Julian Assange: Heroic Whistleblower now battles rape allegation "Our appeals are simple: we are calling upon governments to end the torture of Mr Assange and ensure his access to the best available healthcare, before it is too late," the group of doctors said. UN special rapporteur on torture Nils Melzer has repeatedly warned that Assange has begun to exhibit signs of psychological torture. Assange was briefly transferred from prison to a medical facility last year because of his frail health. The 48-year-old Australian is facing 18 counts in the United States, 17 of them under the Espionage Act that could see him jailed for 175 years. Washington's extradition request will start being heard next Monday at Woolwich Crown Court. Assange is being held at the neighbouring high-security Belmarsh Prison.

Doctors claim Julian Assange is being 'psychologically tortured'

The extradition hearing of&nbsp;WikiLeaks<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/julian-assange-uk-foreign-secretary-signs-wikileaks-founders-us-extradition-papers-226823"> founder Julian Assange</a>, who is wanted in the United States on espionage charges, will begin&nbsp;in February, 2020, a British judge said on Friday.&nbsp;

Assange faces an 18-count charges, issued by the US Justice Department, that includes charges under the Espionage Act.

He is also accused of soliciting and publishing classified <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-against-julian-assange-to-be-unveiled-on-friday-226352">information and conspiring</a> to hack into a government computer.

The WikiLeaks founder&nbsp;is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence for violating British bail conditions in 2012.

UK home secretary Sajid Javid on Friday signed a request to extradite WikiLeaks founder to the US.

On April 11, police forcibly removed the WikiLeaks founder from the Ecuadorean Embassy near Harrods department store in central London. Assange took refuge in the embassy there in 2012 while being sought by Swedish authorities for questioning in a sexual assault investigation.

(With inputs from AFP)

The extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted in the United States on espionage charges, will begin in February, 2020, a British judge said on Friday.

The extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted in the United States on espionage charges, will begin in February, 2020, a British judge said on Friday. Assange faces an 18-count charges, issued by the US Justice Department, that includes charges under the Espionage Act. He is also accused of soliciting and publishing classified information and conspiring to hack into a government computer. The WikiLeaks founder is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence for violating British bail conditions in 2012. UK home secretary Sajid Javid on Friday signed a request to extradite WikiLeaks founder to the US. On April 11, police forcibly removed the WikiLeaks founder from the Ecuadorean Embassy near Harrods department store in central London. Assange took refuge in the embassy there in 2012 while being sought by Swedish authorities for questioning in a sexual assault investigation. (With inputs from AFP)

UK judge sets February 2020 for WikiLeaks founder Assange's US extradition hearing

UK home secretary, Sajid Javid, on Friday said that he had signed a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-formally-asks-uk-to-extradite-wikileaks-assange-226357"> request to extradite </a>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US where he faces charges of computer hacking.

Speaking on the Today Programme on Thursday, Javid said: “He’s rightly behind bars. There’s an extradition request from the US that is before the courts tomorrow but yesterday I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow.”

A decision on Assange, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-against-julian-assange-to-be-unveiled-on-friday-226352">who is currently in UK jail</a>, is now with the UK court.&nbsp;

Assange faces an 18-count charges, issued by the US Justice Department, that includes charges under the Espionage Act. He is accused of soliciting and publishing classified information and conspiring to hack into a government computer.

US and British security sources said US prosecutors sent the formal extradition request to UK authorities last week, shortly before the expiration of a legal deadline. The formal submission of the request was first reported on Tuesday by the Washington Post.

On April 11, police forcibly removed the WikiLeaks founder from the Ecuadorean Embassy near Harrods department store in central London. Assange took refuge in the embassy there in 2012 while being sought by Swedish authorities for questioning in a sexual assault investigation.

UK home secretary, Sajid Javid, on Friday said that he had signed a request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US where he faces charges of computer hacking.

UK home secretary, Sajid Javid, on Friday said that he had signed a request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US where he faces charges of computer hacking. Speaking on the Today Programme on Thursday, Javid said: “He’s rightly behind bars. There’s an extradition request from the US that is before the courts tomorrow but yesterday I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow.” A decision on Assange, who is currently in UK jail, is now with the UK court. Assange faces an 18-count charges, issued by the US Justice Department, that includes charges under the Espionage Act. He is accused of soliciting and publishing classified information and conspiring to hack into a government computer. US and British security sources said US prosecutors sent the formal extradition request to UK authorities last week, shortly before the expiration of a legal deadline. The formal submission of the request was first reported on Tuesday by the Washington Post. On April 11, police forcibly removed the WikiLeaks founder from the Ecuadorean Embassy near Harrods department store in central London. Assange took refuge in the embassy there in 2012 while being sought by Swedish authorities for questioning in a sexual assault investigation.

Julian Assange: UK Foreign Secretary Javid signs WikiLeaks founder's US extradition papers 

A Swedish court will hear arguments on Monday (Jun 3) to decide whether prosecutors can proceed to request Julian Assange's extradition from the UK, after a 2010 rape probe was re-opened in May.

Swedish Assange hearing to decide on extradition request