External Link
https://7news.com.au/...ian-assange-misses-uk-hearing-as-unwell-with-respiratory-problems--c-1072387
The Australian had been due for a regular call over hearing via videolink on Monday local time, in the Westminster Magistrates Court.
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said the court had received an email from Belmarsh prison, saying Assange was “refusing to attend the hearing and refusing to sign a refusal form”.
When asked if the 48-year-old was too “unwell” to attend, his barrister Edward Fitzpatrick said the defence lawyer Gareth Pierce had sent the court an email on Friday outlining that he “had respiratory problems for some time”.
Meanwhile, Judge Baraitser said the court was yet to find an alternative venue for Assange’s next three-week extradition hearing set for September 7.
Prosecution barrister James Lewis also said his team had been unable to conduct a psychiatric assessment of Assange because they were still unable to access the prison.
The date of both the prosecution and defence’s psychiatric reports on the Australian has been pushed back to July 31.
Mr Lewis also mentioned that new evidence - not in response to prosecution evidence - had been served by the defence and would need to be examined to determine admissibility."