This week, founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange appeared in a London court to fight his extradition to the United States. Assange made his case before Judge Vanessa Baraitser. He argued that his charges should be considered a "political offense" which would prevent this extradition.

This week, founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange appeared in a London court to fight his extradition to the United States. Assange made his case before Judge Vanessa Baraitser. He argued that his charges should be considered a “political offense” which would prevent this extradition.

In court, Assange said he couldn’t think properly. He even had trouble remembering his name and birthday. He claimed the way he was being treated in prison was the cause of this, and has prevented him from organizing a solid case for himself. He said, “I can’t research anything [in prison], I can’t access any of my writing, it’s very difficult where I am to do anything.”

Assange’s lawyer, Mark Summers, stated the charges against him were a “concerted and avowed drive to escalate its existing war on whistleblowers, to encompass investigative journalists. Our case is that it is a political attack to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing [classified] information.”

Summers also made sure to mention that Assange was being spied on by a Spanish company, on behalf of the United States. Which is illegal espionage. He went on to say, “The American state has been actively engaged in intruding on privileged discussions between Assange and his lawyers,” Summers said, pointing to evidence that Assange has had all of his communications monitored over the past several years.

Summers even mentioned, “hooded men breaking into lawyers’ offices.”

On top of all this, there have been concerns about Assange’s health. Apparently it has been deteriorating while in custody. In court, he appeared to be thin, pale, and overall not in good shape.

One of Assange’s advisers, Greg Barns, told ABC Radio that it is basically impossible for Assange to put together a case for himself while in such awful conditions in prison. He said, “I think it’s been a very difficult time for him. There’s no doubt that his health has been adversely impacted by seven years living effectively without natural sunlight and cooped up in the embassy and now at Belmarsh Prison. Prisons are no place for people who are unwell and generally a person’s health deteriorates in the prison environment, particularly Belmarsh Prison, which is a harsh prison,”

“It does make it difficult in terms of preparation of his case. He’s got to be able to instruct his lawyers, this is a complicated case, and he’s going to be able to do that in circumstances where his health improves,” he added

That being said, his court hearing did not go well for him as his request for more time to prepare a proper defense was denied. He is scheduled to appear in court again in February of 2020.