Julian Assange verdict does little to protect press freedom

Analysis: ruling appears to extend the scope of British Official Secrets Act on classified information

Julian Assange may have won the first round of his extradition battle against the US but lawyers and the National Union of Journalists have warned his victory had little to do with the protection of journalism and free speech.

A study of the ruling from the district judge Vanessa Baraitser – which said the WikiLeaks founder should not be extradited on mental health grounds – appears to extend the scope of the British Official Secrets Act, which governs the leaking and handling of classified government information.

Related: Julian Assange extradition ruling: what happens now?

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This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.