WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has appealed to the High Court in London to block his extradition to the United States to face criminal charges, his brother says, the latest step in his legal battle that has dragged on for more than a decade.
Australian-born Mr Assange, who turns 51 on Sunday, is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks' release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which US officials have said put lives in danger. He faces up to 175 years in prison.
Last month, Home Secretary Priti Patel approved his extradition, with her office saying UK courts had concluded his extradition would not be incompatible with his human rights, and that he would be treated appropriately.
Mr Assange's legal team have lodged an appeal against that decision at the High Court, his brother Gabriel Shipton confirmed.
The court must give its approval for the appeal to be heard but it is likely the legal case will take months to conclude.
"We also urge the Australian government to intervene immediately in the case to end this nightmare," Mr Shipton told Reuters.
The saga began at the end of 2010 when Sweden sought Mr Assange's extradition from the UK over allegations of sex crimes.
When he lost that case in 2012, he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London where he spent seven years.
Julian Assange is being held at Belmarsh prison in London after mounting a lengthy battle to avoid being extradited. Source: AAP
He has been fighting extradition to the United States since June 2019 and remains in jail.
"We're going to fight this. We're going to use every appeal avenue," his wife Stella Assange told reporters after Ms Patel approved his extradition.
