Harry Dunn's family urge government to block Julian Assange extradition
Harry Dunn’s family have urged the government to block Julian Assange’s extradition until the US sends the woman accused of being involved in the teenager’s death back to the UK.
The WikiLeaks founder is set to face an extradition hearing next week when a decision will be taken on whether to send him to the US to face trial.
But a spokesperson for Harry Dunn’s family said the US was displaying “extraordinary” hypocrisy in seeking for Assange to be extradited while Anne Sacoolas has escaped trial in the UK.
“The principle of reciprocity is at the core of any extradition treaty,” their spokesman Radd Seiger said.
“Despite its disgraceful refusal to extradite Anne Sacoolas, the US continues to seek the extradition of people in the UK such as Julian Assange.
“In doing so, they are demonstrating an extraordinary amount of hypocrisy and the double standards on display are unprecedented.
Mrs Sacoolas, the 42-year-old wife of an intelligence official based at RAF Croughton, was granted diplomatic immunity after the crash and sparked international controversy after being allowed to return to her home country.
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She was later charged with causing Mr Dunn’s death by dangerous driving.
Earlier this month, the Foreign Office said they had “no plans” to launch a public inquiry into the case, saying the case had been handled “properly and lawfully throughout”.
Mr Seiger added: “Harry Dunn’s family understand and respect the importance of extradition procedures between nations and the huge public interest that attaches to extradition.
“No one is above the law and no one must be allowed to evade justice if they manage to flee a country, whether diplomat or not.
“That said, in refusing the UK’s perfectly lawful request to extradite Anne Sacoolas, and not even following the legal and judicial process the US/UK Treaty calls for, the US has launched the single greatest attack on the so called special relationship between the countries in modern memory.”
Assange, 48, is being held in Belmarsh prison, in south-east London, and is wanted in the US to face 18 charges over the publication of US cables a decade ago.
If found guilty he could face a 175-year sentence.
