On June 13 2019, the British home secretary Sajid Javid announced that he has signed a request to extradite Julian Assange to the US. He awaits his extradition while serving a prison sentence in London. Assange is an Australian computer programmer who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He became under investigation of the US government in 2010 after the Chelsea Manning leaks.
In 2010, the Swedish government also became interested in Assange. An international arrest warrant was issued for him by Sweden over sexual assault accusations. He claims that the Accusations were a means to expedite his extradition to the US. Assange surrendered to UK police and bailed out in 2010.
In 2012, Assange sought asylum at the Embassy of Ecuador, which was a violation of his bail. The asylum was officially granted by Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa. Assange remained in the embassy for over six years. Swedish authorities temporarily revoked his arrest warrant in 2017 on the grounds of policing costs.
Assange remained at the embassy to avoid US extradition. Ecuadorian embassy authorities eventually allowed UK police to enter and arrest him in April 2019. He was charged with 50 weeks of prison for violating his bail and fleeing arrest. While in the London prison system, the US has accused him of at least 17 other charges. An extradition hearing is set to take place at Britain's Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 25 2020.
