Julian Assange: I will leave embassy and surrender to police if I lose UN ruling

Julian Assange has promised to leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London and surrender to police on Friday if he loses an appeal to the UN.

The Wikileaks founder has been holed up inside the embassy in Knightsbridge since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted in connection with sexual assault allegations.

The 44-year-old refutes the claims and believes he will be sent to the US to face charges over the leaking of sensitive material.

Assange filed a complaint with the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2014 alleging that he was being illegally detained and the organisation is set to announce its verdict on Friday.

In a statement released by WikiLeaks on Twitter, Assange said:

The statement was signed: "Julian Assange, Embassy of Ecuador, London."

If the group finds Mr Assange's detention to be unlawful the UN is expected to call on the UK and Sweden to let him go free.

The Metropolitan Police has said said officers will make "every effort" to arrest Mr Assange should he leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where he has been for more than three years.