Auction to raise money for Julian Assange’s fight against extradition to US

Millions of pounds are expected to be raised after a collaboration between Assange and renowned digital artist Pak.

Belmarsh Prison in London (Lindsey Parnaby/PA) (PA Archive)

An auction of artwork is set to raise millions of pounds towards the legal costs of Julian Assange as he continues to fight extradition to the United States.

A collaboration between Assange and renowned digital artist Pak was launched on Monday, the same day that the WikiLeaks founder’s legal team filed an application to the UK Supreme Court against US extradition.

The two-day auction is set to raise millions of pounds for Assange’s legal battle, as well as for organisations chosen by him and Pak that fight censorship, champion press freedom, or defend rights.

A tattoo on an arm showing Julian Assange’s name outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London (Kirsty O’Connor/PA) (PA Wire)

Assange is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

He has been held in Belmarsh prison in London for almost three years.