IFJ President Dominique Pradalié said: “Since the indictments against Julian Assange were published it was clear that this prosecution created significant jeopardy for journalists the world over. Determining that there could be grounds to appeal the judgement of the first hearing is an acknowledgement that the issues the cases raise about the protection of free speech, the operation of the US/UK Extradition Treaty, the possibility of a fair trial, and the selective prosecution deserve further consideration”.

Assange has been held for more than five years in Belmarsh high-security prison on the outskirts of London. Before that he spent seven years in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. The US is seeking to prosecute him on 17 charges under the Espionage Act and one or computer hacking, relating to Wikileaks publication of the Afghan and Iraq war logs in 2010. The IFJ has long called for the charges to be dropped, as most relate to activities that are routine activities for many investigative journalists – seeking out witnesses to wrongdoing, encouraging the confidential sharing of evidence, and publishing such information with the pubic.

Pradalié added: “I have visited Assange in prison twice in recent months and am deeply concerned about the state of his health and morale. This decision will be a boost, but arrangements for him to spend more time with his wife and family should be implemented during the period before the next hearing”.