United Nations: Wikileaks’ Julian Assange Unlawfully Detained

A United Nations panel has ruled that Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has been unlawfully detained.

The Quint
World
Updated:
 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. (Photo: Reuters)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. (Photo: Reuters)
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A United Nations panel has ruled that Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has been unlawfully detained.

Assange claimed asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over claims of sexual assault, which he denies.

The police, however, said that he will still be held if he leaves the embassy. A warrant for his arrest remains in place.

Earlier, WikiLeaks tweeted that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) would publicly announce its decision in the case of Assange vs UK & Sweden. If it finds that the detention was unlawful, the WGAD would order that he be released immediately and compensated.

Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for over 3 years, after being granted political asylum by the Ecuadorian government.

He is in the embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition in two cases:

  • Sexual assault allegations in Sweden.
  • Cyber espionage charges for publishing classified US military and diplomat documents via his website WikiLeaks.

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Published: 04 Feb 2016,05:53 PM IST

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