WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to leave Ecuadorian embassy ‘soon’

Widespread reports have suggested that the anti-secrecy campaigner needs hospital treatment for the health problems.

“There has been two years of great uncertainty and a lack of legal protection. This situation must come to an end. Two years is simply too long…We continue to offer him our protection,” said Patino.

“It is time to free Julian Assange. It is time for his human rights to finally be respected,” he added.

Patino would meet with British foreign secretary Philip Hammond in the next few weeks to discuss ways to resolve the situation.

Assange, whose website WikiLeaks published classified US military and diplomatic documents embarrassing the US government, has been living inside the Ecuadorian embassy building, since being granted diplomatic asylum by the Latin American nation in August 2012.

He is under continuance surveillance and will be arrested if he leaves the building. Scotland Yard officers have been stationed outside the building round-the-clock for two years now.

Assange had initially anticipated a diplomatic solution to his problems would be reached within a couple of months. But that did not happen.

The whistleblower has been investigated by US authorities since WikiLeaks published leaked military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

He also faces an arrest warrant in Sweden over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women. He denies the allegations.

Australia-born Assange fears that from Sweden he will be extradited to the US, where he could face 35 years in prison for publishing classified documents related to the Pentagon’s activities in Iraq and Afghanistan on WikiLeaks.

From the homepage

Rs 80 paid for every fraud voter deletion application in Aland seat, finds Karnataka SIT

Dalit man in Lucknow forced to ‘lick ground’ over urination claim, allege kin; accused arrested

Bengal SIR ahead, TMC cranks up rank and file: ‘Go with BLOs, check deletion of voters’