The UK's High Court of Justice has granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange permission to challenge his extradition to the US, offering a glimmer of hope amidst a prolonged legal struggle. However, experts caution that Assange's chances of being exonerated remain slim.
"It invites cautious optimism, however, his chances of being exonerated are minuscule," said Poikonen.
He highlighted the protracted nature of Assange's legal battle, which has seen him languishing in Belmarsh Prison for years.
"The most convenient outcome for the Biden administration and Merrick Garland would be for Assange to die in Belmarsh prison," Poikonen remarked, emphasizing the grim reality facing the WikiLeaks founder.
A Radical Strategy Shift?
Poikonen discussed a potential strategic shift that Assange's legal team might consider: voluntarily coming to the US to face the charges.
"If the legal team were to make that decision, I would highly recommend they get a very knowledgeable group of individuals together to go on a jury nullification tour throughout the Eastern District of Virginia before they went ahead and announced that defense," he suggested.
Wilmer Leon, host of "Critical Hour," asked about the impact such a strategy might have on public perception and media coverage. "What if they were just to say, forget the hearings, we're coming to the US? What would be the headline here?" he pondered.
Poikonen agreed that this approach could potentially expose the fragility of the US government's position. "It would blow up in the face of the establishment," he asserted, highlighting the significant media attention such a move would attract.
Assange's case is unfolding against a backdrop of declining approval ratings for President Joe Biden, with recent polls showing his approval rating at 36%.
"The government does not represent the people, it represents the oligarchs, the billionaires, the donors," Poikonen noted, pointing to broader dissatisfaction with the current administration. He suggested that the Assange case, if brought to the US, could further erode public trust in the government.