"The latest twist in the tale highlights the hypocrisy of a British government which sanctimoniously denounces Russia for suppression of free speech and war crimes while itself persecuting a journalist for revealing war crimes committed by a UK ally," Ford said.
On Wednesday, the Westminster Magistrate's Court ordered for Assange's extradition to the United States where he is facing a possible sentence of up to 175 years in prison. Assange is in poor health and suffered a stroke while being in UK custody.
"It would be ironic to say the least for the UK to extradite Assange for publishing leaks about US war crimes at just the moment when the UK propaganda machine is attempting to exploit to the maximum alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine," Ford said.
Drawing attention to the double standards in the latest development in Assange's long struggle to avoid being deported back to the United States for exposing so many state secrets might cause UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, a pro-American hardliner, to hesitate in implementing the move, Ford said.
"While it is unlikely that considerations of consistency and decency would deter an un-shameable British government from proceeding to extradite the journalist, the thought that it might prompt accusations of double standards and thereby undermine the pro-Ukraine propaganda, will likely incline the government to stall for the moment on any decision," he said.
In any case Assange's legal team still have options to appeal other elements of the earlier court rulings which effectively obliged the Westminster Magistrates Court to authorize the Home Secretary to extradite, Ford continued.
"And if and when the case does go to the Home Secretary for final decision Assange's lawyers can also introduce fresh evidence, which they cannot in court," Ford added.
Assange's defense team does not rule out the possibility of applying to the European Court of Human Rights to seek to block his extradition, Carlos Poveda, Assange 's lawyer, told Sputnik on Thursday.