- Title: Spanish security company spied on Assange on orders from the U.S. - lawyer
- Date: 20th December 2019
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (DECEMBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) LAWYER FOR JULIAN ASSANGE, AITOR MARTINEZ, (RIGHT) ARRIVING AT HIGH COURT PEOPLE WALKING PAST HIGH COURT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LAWYER FOR JULIAN ASSANGE, AITOR MARTINEZ, SAYING (AS HE WALKS): "All good, perfect. Finally Mr. Assange will be able to testify as a victim of this alleged spying plot which would have been orchestrated from the United States. (JOURNALIST: Is he testifying as a witness?) "In Spain you can only testify as a person being investigated or as a witness and the victim always testifies as a witness." MARTINEZ ENTERING COURT VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF COURT MARTINEZ ENTERING THE COURT THROUGH ANOTHER DOOR EXTERIOR OF COURT COURT STAFF ENTERING BUILDING EXTERIOR OF HIGH COURT POLICE VARIOUS OF HIGH COURT BUILDING
- Embargoed: 3rd January 2020 10:02
- Keywords: Aitor Martinez Julian Assange Spain USA Undercover Global spy
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAS66VB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:As Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was set to testify via videolink before a Spanish court on Thursday (December 20), his lawyer said the alleged surveillance of his client by a Spanish security company while he was holed up at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London was orchestrated from the United States.
A Spanish judge seeks to investigate the alleged surveillance carried out by Spanish company Undercover Global, in charge of security at the Embassy of Ecuador in London from 2015 to 2018, as well as alleged U.S. involvement.
His lawyers have presented a raft of evidence in Spain including surveillance video of Assange meeting with his lawyers. They allege Assange's privacy was violated.
Assange is currently held at Belmarsh prison in London where he is awaiting a decision on an extradition request from the United States where he faces 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades in prison if convicted.
(Production: Guillermo Martinez, Julien Hennequin, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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