The Ecuadorian embassy in London has served as the refuge of the WikiLeaks founder for the last 3 1/2 years.
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“It is time they had their father back”. “This is frankly a ridiculous finding and we reject it”, he said.
“The working group is the world expert body in understanding the law of when someone is to be detained or not detained”. “What’s the point of having a dispute-resolution mechanism, if they don’t want to comply with the outcome?”
Ecuador Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said Assange had been a victim of “evident political persecution” and he must be allowed to go free.
“Mr Assange fled the bail in June 2012 and since then stays at the premises of the embassy using them as a safe haven to evade arrest”.
Any decision by the group would not be legally binding, but other people have reportedly been released in the past on the basis of its rulings.
The two nations say the findings have no legal force.
FJulian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks speaks to the media and members of the public from a balcony at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.
“Today, that detention, without charge, has been found by the highest organisation, the United Nations…to be unlawful” he added.
But Sweden’s prosecution authority said the ruling had no impact on its investigation into a 2010 rape allegation against him, and the British government said it would have to arrest him as long as a European arrest warrant was in force.
As supporters of Mr. Assange gather outside the Knightbridge address of the Ecuadorian Embassy to celebrate the positive developments, it appears clear is that although the celebrated whistleblower’s liberty from forced asylum may not happen immediately, the end is within sight. Sweden says it plans to keep up its investigation of him. As the Two-Way reported, the BBC said on the same day that it had learned the panel had found in Assange’s favor.
Robinson said Assange has exercised his legal rights in a lawful manner.
However, both Sweden and the United Kingdom rejected the ruling – which is non-binding – saying it “changes nothing”.
“It’s a very long time to detain someone who has never been charged or questioned”. The Ukraine representative on the UN’s five-person panel agreed. “The U.K. will formally contest the decision”.
Not only are Britain and Sweden by their actions “weakening global law” Mr. Assange noted, at a diplomatic level the countries will not be treated seriously as “international players that obey worldwide obligations”.
He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sexual assault claims – allegations he has always denied.
In Sweden – which seeks to question Assange on alleged sex crimes – the country’s Foreign Ministry has said the that the U.N.’s view “differs from that of the Swedish authorities”.
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The 44-year-old Wikileaks founder has been subjected to “different forms of deprivation of liberty” initially while he was held in isolation at London’s Wandsworth Prison for 10 days in 2010, the panel said.
