In the tribunal's summary, the Guardian reports, it said, "WikiLeaks is a media organization which publishes and comments upon censored or restricted official materials involving war, surveillance or corruption, which are leaked to it in a variety of different circumstances." Neither the US Department of Justice nor the UK Crown Prosecution Service have stated whether extradition discussions regarding Assange -- who is currently living in a London-based Ecuadorian embassy where he has been granted diplomatic asylum -- have taken place. But if UK officials were considering assisting an extradition request, such a clear statement declaring WikiLeaks a media organization might change that.

"If such a request were made, the UK would not be assisting the US to extradite a narco, a mafia boss or a drug kingpin. It would being assisting the US to extradite a media publisher to prosecute him and his media organization for their publications," Maurizi told the Guardian.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said arresting Assange was a priority and CIA Director Mike Pompeo said in April, "It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: A non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia."