Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence John Brady TD has condemned the decision by the British Home Secretary Pritti Patel to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US. 

If convicted of leaking information on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Assange could face a jail sentence of up to 175 years.

The Wicklow TD said:

“The decision by the British Government to extradite Julian Assange is a purely politically motivated act, designed to further suppress journalism.

“Failure to protect his right to speak out as a journalist would represent a serious undermining of the principle of free speech.

“Julian Assange is a journalist who spoke out about illegal activities engaged in by the US in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. For this, he is being hounded by authorities.

“The decision by Pritti Patel to extradite Julian Assange is nothing more than an assault on free speech by a British Government whose questionable activities has already led to the resignation of two government ethics advisors.

“Julian Assange should be released by the British authorities.”