Julian Assange given permission to marry partner in prison

WikiLeaks founder intends to marry long-term partner Stella Moris, the mother of his two children

FILE PHOTO: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Britain, May 19, 2017. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
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Julian Assange has been given permission to marry his partner, Stella Moris, in prison.

The WikiLeaks founder has been held in Belmarsh Prison in London since 2019 after the US took legal action to extradite him.

The couple, who met when Assange was living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, have two children.

“I am relieved that reason prevailed and I hope there will be no further interference with our marriage,” Ms Moris said.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “Mr Assange’s application was received, considered and processed in the usual way by the prison governor, as for any other prisoner."

Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, was arrested by police after spending five years in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he sought political asylum as he avoided extradition to Sweden, fearing he would be taken to the US for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks.

He was jailed for 12 months for skipping bail but was kept in Belmarsh while a lengthy legal case was mounted by the US.

In January a judge refused the US’s request to extradite Mr Assange, but an appeal was lodged, with the outcome still pending.

No date has been set for the wedding. The couple have been trying to get married despite the legal action.

Their sons Gabriel, 4, and Max, 2, are British citizens.

The couple were taking legal action against the prison governor and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, accusing them of preventing a wedding from being held.

Updated: November 11, 2021, 11:03 PM