Live Updates: Day 11 of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange's Extradition Hearing

“We heard this morning, of course, that Julian has been diagnosed with depression. He is at a high suicide risk, especially if he is extradited to the United States. He has Asperger’s Syndrome that makes him nine times more likely to commit suicide than other persons. All this together should give the court the right picture”, he said.

“He is in severe danger of causing self-harm if he is extradited. In my opinion, it was quite appalling to listen to the lengthy cross-examination by the lawyers for the American government trying to pick apart every small detail citing records constantly, for over an hour, from Belmarsh prison; and the medical staff there, who, obviously, have an interest in keeping the records such that the prison cannot be accused of anything if a prisoner self-harms”, he added.

“And we know that Julian didn’t have full faith and confidence in the medical people in Belmarsh prison for obvious reasons. So, that sort of sums it up. Professor Kopelman will be cross-examined this afternoon. And it is quite extraordinary to hear the questions that are indicative of their willingness to try to establish that Julian Assange is simply making it up, which I think is appalling in all respects. That was what we’ve done this morning”, he concluded.

Stella Moris, the partner of Australian-born WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, told The Sydney Morning Herald that she hopes they could move to Australia if the whistleblower escapes extradition to the United States, and urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to guarantee their family’s safety.

"I'd love to go to Australia, I'd love to live in Australia. I'll live wherever he is safe and that's why I want Australia to tell us that he will be safe there. I want to take my children to Australia and I want Julian to show them Australia", she said.

Australia confirmed last year issuing a new passport for Assange, but Moris believes this was not enough.

"What he has asked for and what I have asked for directly to Scott Morrison is for political intervention, for a political intervention because this is a political case", Moris added.

Moris, a lawyer, was a part of Assange’s legal team that was fighting his extradition to Sweden, before the latter dropped sexual assault charges. During his stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, the whistleblower had fathered two children with her. According to Moris, they are going to wed by Christmas outside the Belmarsh prison, where Assange is being held.

#JulianAssange extradition hearings Part 2 - Day 11 (Thread)

Court is scheduled to sit from 10:00 am.

Medical experts (such as psychiatrists) are expected to testify over the next 3 days.

But we shall see.

via @SputnikInt pic.twitter.com/NeOyqfInsT

— Mohamed Elmaazi (@MElmaazi) September 22, 2020

The next three days will be very difficult for us. The court will hear medical evidence of Julian's physical and mental condition and his likelihood of survival if he is extradited to face 175 years in a US prison.

Please treat Julian with dignity and humanity. #MentalHealth

— Stella Moris (@StellaMoris1) September 22, 2020