Assange Appeal Bid Denied

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is running out of legal options in bid to appeal extradition to Sweden.

Assange had appealed to Britain’s top court to re-open his appeal of extradition to Sweden, where he faces sexual assault charges, BBC News reported. He had previously argued to the court that the arrest warrant for extradition was invalid, but the court also rejected that bid.

His extradition is planned for two weeks, but the court will first consider a legal technicality raised by his defense team, the Los Angeles Times reported. His defense claimed that a point of law related to the case was not discussed in court.

The move to deny his latest appeal came as a unanimous decision from the top court, which found the bid “without merit,” BBC News reported.

Assange is alleged to have raped and sexually assaulted two WikiLeaks volunteers in 2010, and though he has not been charged Swedish officials want him for questioning.

WikiLeaks actions have earned Assange enemies on both sides of the Atlantic, with U.S. officials speaking out against his release of classified documents. The organization gained prominence in 2010 after publishing several thousand classified U.S. State Department documents, including diplomatic cables and film footage.

Bradley Manning, a former U.S. Army analyst suspected of funneling the information to WikiLeaks, is awaiting court-martial on 22 counts, including aiding the enemy, the Los Angeles Times reported. He faces life imprisonment.

If his final appeal fails, Assange could still delay proceedings by going to the European Court of Human Rights, the Los Angeles Times reported.