Wikileaks' Julian Assange takes refuge in Ecuador's UK embassy, seeks asylum
Just nine days before his extradition to Sweden to face sex-crime charges, Mr Assange makes another bold play.
Just nine days before his extradition to Sweden to face questioning over alleged sex crimes, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has taken refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London and asked for asylum.
Mr Assange turned up in person at the embassy.
In a statement, the embassy said it would allow Mr Assange to stay while the Ecuadorian government considered his application.
On 14 June, Britain's Supreme Court dismissed a bid to reopen the Wikileaks founder's appeal against extradition.
Extradition proceedings are due to start on June 28.
Wikileaks has hit headlines for releasing government documents on its website or to selected media, including thousands of classified diplomatic cables on the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mr Assange has denied allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he says are politically motivated.
Swedish prosecutors have not filed charges against the Wikileaks founder but applied for his extradition so they could question Mr Assange about allegations made by two Wikileaks volunteers in mid-2010.
RAW DATA: ECUADORIAN EMBASSY STATEMENT
This afternoon Mr Julian Assange arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy seeking political asylum from the Ecuadorian government.
As a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration for Human Rights, with an obligation to review all applications for asylum, we have immediately passed his application on to the relevant department in Quito.
While the department assesses Mr Assange’s application, Mr Assange will remain at the embassy, under the protection of the Ecuadorian Government.
The decision to consider Mr Assange’s application for protective asylum should in no way be interpreted as the Government of Ecuador interfering in the judicial processes of either the United Kingdom or Sweden.
NBR staff
Wed, 20 Jun 2012
Wed, 20 Jun 2012
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Wikileaks' Julian Assange takes refuge in Ecuador's UK embassy, seeks asylum
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