Assange takes refuge in Ecuador embassy, seeks asylum
LONDON In a dramatic move, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sought political asylum in Ecuador after taking refuge in its embassy in London Tuesday, days after the supreme court rejected his appeals against extradition to Sweden to face sex crime charges.
Assange walked into the country's embassy, a redbrick building behind Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, and asked for asylum, citing the UN declaration of human rights.
"I can confirm I arrived at the Ecuadorean embassy and sought diplomatic sanctuary and political asylum," Assange, an Australian, said in a statement.
"This application has been passed to the ministry of foreign affairs in the capital Quito. I am grateful to the Ecuadorean ambassador and the government of Ecuador for considering my application."
Assange is wanted in Sweden for questioning in connection with accusations of the rape of one woman and sexual assault on another in August 2010. He has denied the charges.
The Ecuadorian government said in a statement that it is "evaluating the request of Mr. Julian Assange and whatever decision that we adopt about him will take into account the respect for the norms and principles of international law."
According to the Ecuadorian government's statement, Assange said he was seeking asylum because his home country "had declared that they will neither defend nor guarantee the least (of my rights) in front of any government."
He fears that if he is extradited to Sweden he may be sent to the US to face charges over WikiLeaks for which he could face the death penalty.
The US government opened a grand jury investigation in May 2011 into the passing of hundreds of thousands of secret US embassy cables to WikiLeaks.
The WikiLeaks founder has been under house arrest in a mansion in the British countryside since December 2010.
Source: Britain News.net
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