The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, complained that he heard voices and music in prison, and that he had suicidal urges, psychiatrist Michael Kopelman said today during the hearing at the London court that is considering the American request for his extradition.
Assange is at "a very high risk of committing suicide if he is extradited to the United States," which wants to try him for the publication of hundreds of thousands of secret documents, Kopelman told the Old Bailey criminal court in London. That psychiatrist talked to Assange about twenty times.
"severe depression"
He mentioned Assange's "severe depression" and "psychotic symptoms", including the voice hallucinations he has in his cell at the maximum-security Belmarsh prison, near London. Assange told the psychiatrist that he heard voices telling him "you are dust, you are dead, we will come for you", reports Hina.
The psychiatrist said that Assange's condition will worsen if he is extradited.
Assange's partner, Stella Morris, also said she feared he might kill himself. They have two young daughters.
James Lewis, a representative of the US government, said that it is possible that Assange invented hearing voices and music.
He faces a sentence of 175 years in prison
Assange was arrested in 2019 after spending seven years in Ecuador's diplomatic mission, where he took refuge after violating the terms of his release on bail, fearing extradition to the US on charges of endangering US intelligence sources.
The British judiciary needs to determine whether the US extradition request complies with a number of legal criteria, in particular with respect for human rights.
Assange is charged with espionage against the US, where he faces up to 175 years in prison for releasing more than 2010 classified documents since 700.000 about US military and diplomatic activities, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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