WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief slams Assange's sentence as 'vindictive in nature'

"This is this is absolutely outrageous and vindictive in nature and unfortunately does not give us much faith in a justice system. Now we [have] a real big fight ahead, the fight against the [Assange's] extradition to the United States where he can face up to death penalty," he told reporters outside Southwark Crown Court after the WikiLeaks founder heard his sentence.

A court in London sentenced Assange earlier on Wednesday to 50 weeks in prison for breaching bail by escaping in the Ecuadorian embassy back in 2012. According to Judge Deborah Taylor, by entering the Ecuadorian embassy, the whistleblower "deliberately" put himself "out of reach," whilst remaining in the United Kingdom.

Assange's lawyer Mark Summers delivered a letter from the WikiLeaks founder to Judge Taylor in which the whistleblower apologized "unreservedly" to those who considered themselves disrespected by his actions.

WikiLeaks slammed the sentence, saying that it now had grave concerns whether Assange would receive a fair extradition hearing in the United Kingdom. The organization, which is known worldwide for publishing leaks and classified media from anonymous sources, stressed that the "Assange's sentence, for seeking and receiving asylum, was twice as much as the sentencing guidelines."

Assange and WikiLeaks repeatedly stressed that the whistleblower could be extradited from Sweden to the United States, where he would be prosecuted for his whistleblowing activities. In 2017, Sweden dropped the probe against him.