Appeal date set for Wikileaks' Assange

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been given a date for his appeal against extradition to Sweden, where he faces allegations of sexual assault.

A two-day hearing has been listed at the High Court in London beginning on July 12, it was announced today.

Mr Assange is appealing against a ruling by District Judge Howard Riddle at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south London that extradition would not breach his human rights.

Mr Assange, 39, described the ruling as "rubber stamping" and the result of a "European Arrest Warrant system run amok"'.

He denies the allegations against him and believes they were politically-motivated, particularly after Wikileaks’ publication of leaked American diplomatic cables that rocked the US government.

The Australian computer expert faces three allegations of sexual assault and one of rape, while in Stockholm last August, made by two female WikiLeaks volunteers.

His lawyers accused Sweden’s prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of creating a “toxic atmosphere” in his country and damaging his chances of a fair trial by portraying him as “public enemy number one.”

At a hearing in February, Judge Riddle dismissed all Assange’s arguments that he could not get a fair trial and rejected his claim that extradition to Sweden would violate his human rights.

Assange has expressed fears that extradition to Sweden could be a stepping-stone to being sent to the US to stand trial on fresh charges relating to Wikileaks, and he could even face the death penalty.

About a dozen Assange supporters demonstrated outside the Belmarsh courthouse wearing masks and costumes or Guantanamo Bay-style orange boiler suits.

If his High Court appeal is unsuccessful, he could take his case to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.