Authored by Andrea Germanos via CommonDreams.org,

A group of over 100 doctors on Monday urged the Australian government to end its "refusal to act" in the case of Julian Assange and insist the British government release the WikiLeaks founder from prison so he can be safely sent to an Australian hospital before "it is too late."

In an open letter addressed to Foreign Minister Marise Payne, the doctors say that "the most fundamental human rights of an Australian citizen are being denied by the British government."

The international medical experts, who hail from countries including the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, called upon Payne to abide by his "undeniable legal obligation to protect your citizen against the abuse of his fundamental human rights, stemming from U.S. efforts to extradite Mr. Assange for journalism and publishing that exposed U.S. war crimes."

Assange has been in London's Belmarsh prison since April for skipping bail seven years ago when he first took refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He's facing possible extradition to the United States for alleged violations of the Espionage Act.  His time at the embassy and at Belmarsh had led to "medical neglect and fragile health," the doctors said, adding that Assange continues to suffer psychological torture at the London jail.

It's not the first time the medical group has sounded alarm on Assange's deteriorating health conditions.

In a letter sent last month to British Home Secretary Priti Patel and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott,  the group expressed "real concerns, on the evidence currently available, that Mr. Assange could die in prison." U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer has also accused the U.K. government of "outright contempt for Mr. Assange's rights and integrity." In May Melzer said Assange exhibited "all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture."

The doctors referenced Melzer's concerns as well as their letter to the U.K. authorities, saying that document fell on deaf ears.