Sweden presses for Assange extradition

Dense legal arguments over the validity of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) marked the second and final day of the hearing in the Supreme Court here of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's appeal against extradition to Sweden to answer allegations of sexual misconduct brought by two women. 

 A verdict is not expected for several weeks.

Seven judges are hearing the appeal on grounds that the case raises an issue of “great public importance”. It is Mr. Assange's last chance to persuade British courts to stop his extradition. If he loses, he will have the option to move the European Court of Human Rights but only after he is handed over to Swedish authorities.

 Mr. Assange sat through the proceedings looking unruffled and frequently took notes as lawyers for Swedish authorities insisted that the warrant under which his extradition was being sought was valid.

They challenged Mr. Assange's claim that the warrant had no legal validity as it was issued by the Swedish prosecutor who was a party to the case rather than an independent and impartial judge.

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For more than four hours in the UK Supreme Court yesterday, there were references to complex European law, citations from 14th and 15th-century texts, and a quote from the Codex Iustinianus, dated 376 AD, all of which lawyers used in an effort save Julian Assange from extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape and sexual assault involving two women.

Assange is accused of rape, sexual molestation and coercion involving two women, but there was no debate about the charges and the word "rape" was not mentioned. The appeal is about the legality of the extradition process, not about the allegations, which Assange strenuously denies.