WikiLeaks's Assange appeals U.K. ruling on Sweden extradition

Julian Assange formally appealed a U.K. ruling that the Australia-born WikiLeaks founder should be extradited to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual molestation, his lawyer Mark Stephens said today.

The appeal, filed March 1 in the Royal Courts of Justice in London, seeks to overturn a Feb. 24 judgment in which District judge Howard Riddle rejected defense claims that Assange won't get a fair trial in Sweden and that the prosecutor behind the case is a "radical feminist."

Assange was detained in December after Swedish authorities issued a so-called European arrest warrant seeking to question him over the claims of sexual misconduct, which two women said took place in August. The ruling was the first round of what lawyers said will be a long appeal process that may end up being decided by the U.K. Supreme Court.

If Assange's appeal were a "normal" case, the process would take two to three months, Stephens said yesterday in a phone interview. "There's no good reason to rush it over any other case, but that doesn't mean they won't."

Assange, 39, remains free on bail. Stephens regularly represents media organizations including Bloomberg News.

(Published by Bloomberg - March 3, 2011)