WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal against extradition to the United States on espionage charges, a London court ruled Monday B次元官网网址� a decision likely to further drag out an already long legal saga.

High Court judges Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson ruled for Assange after his lawyers argued that the U.S. government provided B次元官网网址渂latantly inadequateB次元官网网址� assurances that he would have the same free speech protections as an American citizen if extradited from Britain.

Assange, 52, has been indicted on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over his websiteB次元官网网址檚 publication of a trove of classified U.S. documents almost 15 years ago.

Hundreds of supporters cheered and applauded outside court as news of the ruling reached them from inside the Royal Courts of Justice.

AssangeB次元官网网址檚 wife, Stella, said the U.S. had tried to put B次元官网网址渓ipstick on a pig B次元官网网址� but the judges did not buy it.B次元官网网址� She said the U.S. should B次元官网网址渞ead the situationB次元官网网址� and drop the case.

B次元官网网址淎s a family we are relieved but how long can this go on?B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his case is shameful and it is taking an enormous toll on Julian.B次元官网网址�

The Australian computer expert has spent the last five years in a British high-security prison after taking refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years. Assange was not in court to hear the ruling because of health reasons, his lawyer said.

American prosecutors allege that Assange encouraged and helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks published.

AssangeB次元官网网址檚 lawyers have argued he was a journalist who exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sending him to the U.S., they said, would expose him to a politically motivated prosecution and risk a B次元官网网址渇lagrant denial of justice.B次元官网网址�

The U.S. government says AssangeB次元官网网址檚 actions went way beyond those of a journalist gathering information, amounting to an attempt to solicit, steal and indiscriminately publish classified government documents.

The brief ruling from the bench followed arguments over AssangeB次元官网网址檚 claim that by releasing the trove of confidential documents he was essentially a publisher and due the free press protections guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The hearing was a follow-up to a provisional ruling in March that said he could take his case to the Court of Appeal unless the U.S. guaranteed he would not face the death penalty if extradited and would have the same free speech protections as a U.S. citizen.

The U.S. provided those assurances but AssangeB次元官网网址檚 lawyers only accepted that he would not face the prospect of capital punishment.

They said the assurance that Assange could B次元官网网址渞aise and seek to rely uponB次元官网网址� the First Amendment fell short of the protections he deserved. Further, they argued that the prosecutor refused to say he would not challenge AssangeB次元官网网址檚 right to use such a defense.

B次元官网网址淭he real issue is whether an adequate assurance has been provided to remove the real risk identified by the court,B次元官网网址� Fitzgerald said. B次元官网网址淚t is submitted that no adequate assurance has been made.B次元官网网址�

The court previously said that without the right to a First Amendment defense, AssangeB次元官网网址檚 extradition could be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, which also provides free speech and media protections.

Attorney James Lewis, representing the U.S., said AssangeB次元官网网址檚 conduct was B次元官网网址渟imply unprotectedB次元官网网址� by the First Amendment.

B次元官网网址淣o one, neither U.S. citizens nor foreign citizens, are entitled to rely on the First Amendment in relation to publication of illegally obtained national defense information giving the names of innocent sources, to their grave and imminent risk of harm,B次元官网网址� Lewis said.

AssangeB次元官网网址檚 lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted, though American authorities have said any sentence would likely be much shorter.

AssangeB次元官网网址檚 family and supporters say his physical and mental health have suffered during more than a decade of legal battles, which includes seven years spent inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London from 2012 until 2019. He has spent the past five years in a British high-security prison.

Commuters emerging from a Tube stop near the courthouse couldnB次元官网网址檛 miss a large sign bearing AssangeB次元官网网址檚 photo and the words, B次元官网网址淧ublishing is not a crime. War crimes are.B次元官网网址�

Scores of supporters gathered outside the neo-Gothic Royal Courts of Justice chanting B次元官网网址淔ree Julian AssangeB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淧ress freedom, Assange freedom.B次元官网网址� Some held white flags aimed at President Joe Biden, exhorting: B次元官网网址淟et him go Joe.B次元官网网址�

Biden said last month that he was considering a request from Australia to drop the case and let Assange return to his home country.

Officials provided no other details but AssangeB次元官网网址檚 wife said it was B次元官网网址渁 good signB次元官网网址� and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the comment was encouraging.

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Brian Melley And Jill Lawless, The Associated Press