UPDATE 1-Wikileaks' Assange says Ecuador seeking to end his asylum
Assange spoke from the embassy via teleconference at the first hearing of a lawsuit in Quito that was initiated by his legal team against the Ecuadorean government. The lawsuit challenges the new rules, which require him to pay for medical bills, phone calls and clean up after his pet cat.
During the hearing, Assange said the new rules were a sign Ecuador was trying to push him out, and said Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.
His comments prompted the South American country's top government attorney, Iñigo Salvador, to interrupt him and warn him not to make political statements during the proceedings.
Court officials told journalists they could not record any of the statements made during the hearing.
Salvador did not directly respond to Assange's allegations, but he had told reporters last week Assange was welcome to stay in the embassy with the new rules. He also said the United Kingdom in August had assured Assange would not be extradited if he left the embassy, where he has lived since 2012.
Assange took refuge in the embassy after British courts ordered his extradition to Sweden to face questioning in a sexual assault case. That case has been dropped, but supporters have said that Assange fears he could be extradited to the United States if he leaves the embassy.
WikiLeaks, which published U.S. diplomatic and military secrets when Assange ran the operation, faces a U.S. grand jury investigation.
In a departure from its previous practice of maintaining dialogue with British authorities over Assange's situation, Ecuador's Foreign Minister José Valencia told Reuters last week that the government would no longer intervene on Assange's behalf, adding that the government was "frustrated" by the lawsuit.
(Reporting by Alexandria Valencia; Writing by Luc Cohen; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Lisa Shumaker)
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Foreign minister
- Julian Assange
- Edward Snowden
- Diplomatic mission
- Donald Trump
- Latin America
- Central America
- North America
- South America
- United States Secretary of State
- United States Department of State
- Secretary of state
- state treasurer
- Alexandria Governorate
- Bunnings Alexandria
- Library of Alexandria
- The Grounds of Alexandria
- President of the United States
- Vice President of the United States
- United States
ALSO READ
Ecuador referendum draws support, despite voter unfamiliarity with questions
Ecuador declares Mexico ambassador persona non grata, orders him to leave
UPDATE 1-Ecuador declares Mexico ambassador persona non grata, orders her to leave
Ecuador declares Mexico ambassador persona non grata, orders her to leave
World News Roundup: US on high alert for Iran threat in region after Israeli strike in Syria; Mexico suspends relations with Ecuador after arrest of ex-VP and more