Julian Assange a suicide risk if extradited to the US, says expert

Julian Assange is very likely to attempt to attempt to kill himself if he is sent to the United States to face espionage charges, a psychiatric expert said Tuesday at an extradition hearing for the WikiLeaks founder.

Michael Kopelman, emeritus professor of neuropsychiatry at King’s College London, said Assange has a history of depression and there is a very high risk of suicide if the U.S. extradition attempt succeeds.

It’s the imminence of extradition and/or an actual extradition that will trigger the attempt, in my opinion, Kopelman said during testimony as a witness for Assange at London’s Old Bailey criminal court.