LONDON — A British judge sentenced WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Wednesday to 50 weeks in prison for skipping bail seven years ago and holing up in the Ecuadorian embassy. His supporters in the public gallery at Southwark Crown Court chanted “Shame on you” at the judge as Assange was led away. The Australian secret-spiller sought asylum in the South American country’s London embassy in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations. Assange was arrested April 11 after Ecuador revoked his political asylum, accusing him of everything from meddling in the nation’s foreign affairs to poor hygiene. American authorities have charged Assange with conspiring to break into a Pentagon computer system.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 01, 2019 10:52 UTC