A British judge granted bail to Julian Assange on Tuesday under strict monitoring conditions but the WikiLeaks founder remained in custody pending a possible appeal by Sweden.
Swedish authorities had two hours to lodge an appeal against the bail decision and their lawyer, Gemma Lindfield, said it was likely she would. An appeal would have to be heard by Britain’s High Court within 48 hours.
The 39-year-old Australian has been held in a London prison for a week since surrendering to Scotland Yard due to a Swedish arrest warrant in a sex-crimes investigation. He denies any wrongdoing and his lawyers say he plans to fight Sweden’s extradition request.
One of Assange’s lawyers, Mark Stephens, said the court was demanding 200,000 pounds ($316,000) in bail up front before Assange could be freed.
At Tuesday’s hearing, District Judge Howard Riddle said Assange would have to wear an electronic tag, live at a registered address, report to police every evening and observe two four-hour curfews each day.
A total of 240,000 pounds ($380,000) has been promised as a guarantee by several supporters, including filmmaker Michael Moore, but Stephens said it was taking time to get the money in cash.
“It’s impossible to say how long it will take” to raise the money, Stephens told reporters outside City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court. “Whatever happens, Mr. Assange will have to stay behind bars.”
Assange’s next court appearance was set for Jan. 11, ahead of a full hearing on Feb. 7 and 8.
Lindfield, acting on behalf of Swedish authorities, had asked the court to deny Assange bail because the allegations in Sweden were serious, Assange had only weak ties to Britain and he had enough money “to abscond.”
Another Assange lawyer, high-profile human rights advocate Geoffrey Robertson, said Vaughn Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, a London journalism venue, had offered to put up…