Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has requested to freely leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London following a UN panel ruling which has proposed he should be awarded compensation after arbitrary detention.
UN panel decision is 'a victory that cannot be denied' - Wikileaks' Assange
Britain is bent on contesting the UN panel’s decision and has promised to arrest the computer hacker if he leaves the embassy.
“This changes nothing. We completely reject any claim that Julian Assange is a victim of arbitrary detention. The UK has already made it clear to the UN that we will formally contest the working group’s opinion,” a government spokesman said.
“He is in fact, voluntarily avoiding lawful arrest by choosing to remain in the Ecuadorean embassy,” the spokesman added.
The UK spokesman also cited the rape allegation and a European arrest warrant as part of their motive.
Julian Assange shocked the world after publishing secret diplomatic cables and has been in the embassy to avoid a rape investigation.
Assange who hails from Australia appealed to the United Nations panel claiming he was a political refugee.
He also denied a 2010 rape allegation considering it as a tactic to take him to the US for a criminal investigation.