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Geneva, March 2 (RHC)-- The UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression, Irene Khan, considered Friday the possible extradition to the United States of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange as a dangerous precedent.

She also valued that "gathering and disseminating information, including information related to national security issues if there is public interest, is a legitimate exercise of journalism and should not be treated as a crime."

Since a few days ago, the Australian journalist has been waiting for the High Court of the United Kingdom to issue a pronouncement on the judicial ruling associated with his presumed extradition to the northern country, where he will face a sentence of up to 175 years in prison.

In this regard, Khan is particularly concerned about the application of the Espionage Act, as it "does not provide any protection for the publication of information of public interest".

She also fears that a possible transfer would deter other investigative journalists from following in Assange's footsteps in the United States and possibly other parts of the world.

Therefore, she urged the British and U.S. authorities to guarantee, at all times, respect for the right to freedom of expression, as established in the international commitments signed by these nations. (Source: Prensa Latina)