UK court sets Feb 2020 timetable for Assange US extradition trial

A UK judge on Friday set a February 2020 timeline for the extradition trial of Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange, who faces charges of computer hacking and espionage in the US.

At a Westminster Magistrates' Court hearing in London, Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot ruled that a full extradition hearing lasting five days should begin on February 25 next year, after UK home secretary Sajid Javid had certified the US extradition request.

Assange, who appeared via videolink from the high-security Belmarsh prison for the hearing, told the judge that "175 years of my life is effectively at stake" as he defended his website against hacking claims.

"WikiLeaks is nothing but a publisher," he said.

The barrister representing the 47-year-old Australian national described the charges against his client as raising a "multiplicity of profound issues" and told the court that his client will also be challenging his 50-week imprisonment for breach of his bail conditions in the UK.

"We say it [the case] represents an outrageous and full-frontal assault on journalistic rights," said Mark Summers.

A large group of Assange supporters had gathered outside the courtroom to chant slogans and wave placards calling for "Justice for Assange".

Opening the proceedings, barrister Ben Brandon, representing the US authorities, said: "This [case] is related to one of the largest compromises of confidential information in the history of the United States."