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Julian Assange ‘faces a fate worse than death’ in a lifetime of isolation at the ‘Supermax’ prison currently home to America’s most violent terrorists and drug lords if he is extradited, a court has heard.

The Wikileaks founder, 49, could live out his years alone at maximum security ADX Colorado jail where he would spend 23 hours in a cell if he is convicted of espionage offences in the US.

Assange is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to expose military secrets between January and May 2010

Prison expert Joel Sickler said the US government had ‘raised the possibility of sending Mr Assange to ADX’. ………

I believe, based on my understanding of the case, that this is a not unlikely proposition.’

He said Supermax was the only prison criticised as inhumane by its own staff, adding: ‘Robert Hood, the Warden says, “this is not built for humanity. I think that being there day by day, it’s worse than death”.’……..

The WikiLeaks founder could be placed on a prison regime called Special Administrative Measures (SAMS).

This means he could be deprived of meals, phone calls, visits or interaction with other inmates.

Mr Sickler, who advises federal prison defence attorneys, said: ‘Based on decades of experience, over a dozen of my clients committed suicide, it can be done.

‘I think he is only going to go there if he is a SAMS inmate. There is an outside chance he will go there on other grounds.

‘SAMS will seal his fate. If he is given a life sentence he must start at a United State Penitentiary.

‘He is someone our government alleges has knowledge of certain highly qualified information.’………

‘Officially known as Administrative Maximum-Security United States Penitentiary (“ADX”); it is most known by its shorthand name, “Supermax”,’ Mr Sickler added.

‘This is a facility is the most feared by inmates and is where the most violent offenders in the nation are sent.

‘And this is where the Government, according to its own affidavit, sees as a potential prison placement for Mr Assange.

He said it was the solitary nature of the ADX that made it so difficult for its inmates to bear. ‘Should Mr Assange be sent to ADX he will almost certainly spend all his time in ADX in solitary,’ he added……….. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8781275/Julian-Assange-faces-fate-worse-death-WikiLeaks-founder-serve-life-isolation.html?fbclid=IwAR21x4PeHIIn2pjMDgqjBSqfqA2pK5YPTZ9Q4q4SOG066tGN_aKkZj91ROE