Assange request for appeal granted, set for Feb 1
• rawstory.comWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was Friday granted permission to appeal against extradition from Britain to Sweden over rape allegations and a hearing will start on February 1.
“The Supreme Court has granted permission to appeal and a hearing has been scheduled for two days, beginning on 1 February 2012,” said a statement from the Supreme Court, the highest court in England.
The decision means Assange will spend a second Christmas at the
country mansion of a wealthy supporter in Norfolk, eastern England, as
his legal battle stretches into a second year.
The 40-year-old Australian was arrested last December on a European
arrest warrant issued by Sweden after two women made allegations of
sexual assault and rape.
Assange strongly denies any wrongdoing and says the sex with the women was consensual.
