Assange’s former lawyer to defend abducted Venezuela leader Maduro in US drug case

Barry Pollack, the Washington-based lawyer who previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has taken on the defence of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro following his capture in a US military raid. Appearing in Manhattan federal court, Pollack signalled a legal challenge centred on the legality of Maduro’s abduction and possible immunity as a sitting foreign leader.

Maduro pleaded not guilty to four drug trafficking-related charges, with prosecutors accusing him of conspiring with guerrilla groups, cartels and criminal gangs to funnel cocaine into the United States. The case is expected to test key questions of international law, including head-of-state immunity and the limits of US jurisdiction over foreign leaders.