A London judge has widened the scope of a US appeal against a block on the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the UK and will hear the renewed bid in late October.
A judge ruled in January that Mr Assange should not be extradited to the United States to face criminal charges including breaking a spying law, saying his mental health problems meant he would be at risk of taking his own life.
Mr Assange faces 18 criminal charges in the US of breaking an espionage law and conspiring to hack government computers related to the publication of secret government and military documents by Wikileaks.
The legal saga began soon when Sweden sought Mr Assange's extradition from the UK over allegations of sex crimes.
Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Source: AAP
When he lost that case in 2012, he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where he spent seven years.
When he was finally dragged out in April 2019, he was jailed for breaching British bail conditions although the Swedish case against him had been dropped.
The US had already been given permission to appeal the January ruling on three grounds but on Wednesday asked that the scope of it be expanded to include a reassessment of the expert evidence used to evaluate Mr Assange's risk of suicide.
Judge Timothy Holroyde said that it was unusual for an appellate court to reconsider evidence from an expert witness when it has been accepted by a lower court.
But he said it was arguable that the appeal court might make a different assessment, given that a key expert had omitted to disclose what he knew about Assange's relationship with his partner Stella Moris.
"It is in my view arguable that the... DJ (district judge) erred," he said.
Stella Morris, Julian Assange's partner, has been advocating for his release. Source: AAP
Lawyers for both sides agreed that the full appeal hearing should be scheduled for 27 and 28 October.
Mr Assange joined the hearing by videolink, wearing glasses, a dark face mask and a white shirt.
Outside the court, Mr Assange's partner Stella Moris described him as an "innocent man accused of practising journalism".
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline for 24-7 crisis support on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25). More information is available at and . supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
