UN panel rules in Julian Assange’s favour, says he should be released

A UN panel of independent experts said on Friday that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was being detained arbitrarily in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and should be released and compensated.

A UN panel of independent experts said on Friday that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was being detained arbitrarily in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and should be released and compensated.

“The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considers that the various forms of deprivation of liberty to which Julian Assange has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention,” the group’s head, Seong-Phil Hong, said in a statement.

“The Working Group maintains that the arbitrary detention of Mr Assange should be brought to an end, that his physical integrity and freedom of movement be respected, and that he should be entitled to an enforceable right to compensation.

The Swedish government has, however, maintained that it does not agree with the assessment made by the majority of the UN working group on Assange.