The extradition of Julian Assange from the U.K. to the U.S. for espionage charges has sparked worldwide debate on the implications such an extradition will have on free speech and treaty interpretation. Volume XLVII staff editor Olivia Miles argues that a refusal to apply the political offense exception enumerated in art. 4 of the 2003 U.S.-U.K. Extradition Treaty to the Assange case would be a drastic departure from Anglo-American Common Law interpretations of the political offense exception clause that is customarily incorporated in extradition treaties, having a devastating impact on both journalistic inquiry into government affairs and the U.S.'s capacity to enter into stable, foreign relations.
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