Julian Assange's former PR Adviser has feared for his life, as the Wikileaks founder faces possible extradition to the US.
Richard Hillgrove, who previously worked with Assange, has warned that his "life is in danger" if the Royal Courts of Justice rule against him and send him to an American prison.
Assange has begun a two-day hearing at the London court today in a final bid to prevent being sent to the United States.
He has been in Britain's Belmarsh prison since 2019 and is wanted by the US for leaking secret military files in 2010 and 2011.
Julian Assange's former adviser has feared for his life amid possible extradition to the US
Getty / GB News
In 2021, the High Court ruled that he should be extradited, dismissing claims of "poor mental health" amid fears he might take his own life in a American prison.
If his appeal fails, Assange will have exhausted all possible appeal routes and will enter the process of extradition from the UK.
Assange's former PR Adviser, Richard Hillgrove, claims many people are "expecting" his appeal to be "shut down" and hope he is "packed off" to the United States.
Hillgrove highlighted that an earlier ruling by judge Vanessa Barrister said his mental health had "suffered enough" and he "shouldn't be extradited".
Julian Assange is appealing against his extradition to the United States today
Reuters
Hillgrove told GB News: "If there's even a grey area on his mental health, his human rights should kick in and he shouldn't be on that plane."
Host Isabel Webster argued it was previously thought that Assange's mental health was "just a ploy" to avoid being extradited.
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Hillgrove claimed the United Nations Special Repertoire on torture "visited him at Belmarsh" and ruled that he's "suffered from torture", to which Isabel then asked "why does he want to stay in Belmarsh then?"
He responded: "I don't think he wants to stay in Belmarsh. I think he wants to be let free and I think he should be let free.
"But the problem you've got is it's a no win either way you look at it. Because if he gets on the plane and goes to America, let's face it, you go to an American prison, the suiciding of Assange could take place, Epstein style.
"They've already got a there's a huge dossier of evidence there that they tried to assassinate Assange. So if he's on American soil, his life's in danger."
Richard Hillgrove feared Assange may 'commit suicide' in an American prison
GB News
Eamonn Holmes pressed Hillgrove on Assange and questioned "why we're worried about his mental health", claiming "people died in the Afghanistan war because of him".
Hillgrove argued: "It's been analysed that he redacted all the names and he was extremely responsible, and not one person died from the leak. So they ruled that one out.
"But from a journalist's point of view, you should both be really petrified, because if a precedent is set that if you say something on morning TV and a UAE country doesn't like it, you're on the next plane and facing prison time.
"You're a journalist, you should have the right to publish."