WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Friday faces his first British court hearing since the US submitted a formal extradition request on espionage charges that have upset defenders of press freedoms and human rights. The 47-year-old Australian is currently serving a 50-week prison sentence for violating bail conditions in 2012 when he was wanted on accusations of sexual assault in Sweden.

A request by US to extradite Julian Assange has been signed by Home-Secretary Sajid Javid ahead of a-court-hearing on Friday. By certifying the request, Mr Javid has effectively rubber-stamped it so it can now be considered by court. Assange will appear via-video before Westminster magistrates on Friday. The US wants the Wikileaks founder to face charges there related to the leaking of government secrets.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is too ill to appear via a video link from a British prison in a hearing on an extradition request from the United States, his lawyer said. The US has requested the extradition of Assange, who was dragged from the Ecuadorean embassy in London on April-11. He faces total of 18 US criminal counts with decades in prison if convicted.