Wikileaks Co-Founder Julian Assange Arrested In London, Charged With Conspiracy To Commit Computer Hacking
London police on Thursday arrested Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
With cooperation from Ecuador, where Assange had sought political refuge for the last seven years, Met Police took him into custody for failing to surrender to a warrant issued by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in 2012. The arrest was also related to a U.S. extradition warrant, according to the Associated Press.
Later Thursday morning, the U.S. charged Assange with conspiracy to commit computer hacking for his "alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States."
Where Has He Been?
Assange had been sheltering in the embassy to evade extradition to Sweden over a now-abandoned sexual assault case, as well as extradition to the U.S. over his Wikileaks publications. Ecuador terminated his asylum and invited the Met Police to arrest him due to alleged violations of international law.
“Today, I announce that the discourteous and aggressive behavior of Mr. Julian Assange, the hostile and threatening declarations of its allied organization, against Ecuador, and especially the transgression of international treaties, have led the situation to a point where the asylum of Mr Assange is unsustainable and no longer viable,” Ecuador President Lenin Moreno said in a statement on Twitter.
U.K. officials assured Assange would see justice.
Nearly 7yrs after entering the Ecuadorean Embassy, I can confirm Julian Assange is now in police custody and rightly facing justice in the UK. I would like to thank Ecuador for its cooperation & @metpoliceuk for its professionalism. No one is above the law
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) April 11, 2019
'Dark Moment'
Edward Snowden, a fellow whistleblower and political asylum seeker, called the arrest a “dark moment for press freedom.” Notably, the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights said in December that Assange had been “arbitrarily detained” and should be allowed to leave the embassy freely.
Assange remains in custody at a central London police station and will stand before the Westminster Magistrates’ Court “as soon as is possible,” according to the Met.
Related Links:
Here's All Of Wikileaks' Bombshells Since It Was Founded 10 Years Ago
Where In The World Are Julian Assange And Edward Snowden?
Photo credit: Cancillería del Ecuador, Flickr
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