Julian Assange: UN ruling is 'legally binding'

Emerging onto the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy this evening, Julian Assange was holding a copy of the UN tribunal ruling in his favour.

But he still cannot step foot outside the building without being arrested as a warrant remains in place.

Assange's supporters say Britain, Sweden and the USA are complicit in a strategy to ultimately send the Wikileaks founder to America to face investigations for leaking embarrassing State secrets.

ITV News Correspondent, Paul Davies reports:

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has described a UN ruling, that he has been arbitrarily detained by the UK and Sweden, as a "victory" for himself and the "independence of the UN.

Appearing on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, he said that the UN ruling is "legally binding" in response to comments from the Foreign Secretary that he remains a "fugitive of justice".

He added that neither Sweden nor the UK have appealed the decision.

"Having been involved in the exposure in the corruption and war crimes in government for nearly 20 years, it doesn't come as a shock to see the type of injustice that I've been in the business of exposing inflicted on [myself]," he said.

The Ecuadorian government has demanded WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange be allowed to go free from its London embassy after a UN panel ruled in his favour.

Foreign minister Ricardo Patino said the ruling, which stated Mr Assange has been arbitrarily detained by the UK and Sweden, left both countries with no option but to accept the panel's report, which is not legally binding.

• Timeline: Julian Assange's long legal battle

"What more do they want to be accused of before they start to rectify their error?" he told South American broadcaster Telesur.

Mr Patino said Ecuador was analysing its next steps over Mr Assange, who has hailed the ruling as a "significant victory".

Both the UK and Sweden deny Mr Assange has been deprived of his freedom while Swedish prosecutors said the UN panel's decision had no formal impact on its rape investigation against the Australian whistleblower under Swedish law.

• Julian Assange case: Who is on the UN's expert panel?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hailed the UN working group's ruling that he has been deprived his liberty by the UK and Sweden as "a really significant victory that has brought a smile to my face".

Addressing reporters at a press conference via video from inside the Ecuadorian embassy, Mr Assange said the ruling in his favour is the "end of the road" for the legal arguments put forward by the two countries.

"Put simply, those arguments lost," Mr Assange said. "There is no appeal. The time for appeal is over."

He attacked the Foreign Office's rejection of the panel's decision as insulting and said it was a matter for the UN to enforce its decisions.

• Timeline: Julian Assange's long legal battle

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has described the UN working group's report on Julian Assange "ridiculous" and said the WikiLeaks founder is a "fugitive from justice".

The UN panel ruled Mr Assange is being "arbitrarily detained" in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and called for him to be paid compensation.

But Mr Hammond said the panel lacked credibility.

• Timeline: Julian Assange's long legal battle

The Foreign Office "completely rejects" Julian Assange is the victim of arbitrary detention and will formally contest the ruling by the UN's panel.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted for extradition on a rape accusation in Sweden and has lived in the embassy since June 2012.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said the UN working group's decision against the UK and Sweden "changes nothing" in relation to the case.

The Metropolitan Police have said they will make "every effort" to arrest Mr Assange should he leave the embassy.

• UN panel calls for Assange freedom and compensation right

A UN panel has confirmed its ruling that Julian Assange's lengthy confinement in the Ecuadorian embassy in London amounts to "arbitrary detention" by Sweden and the UK.

The head of the panel - which is officially titled the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention - has called on both countries to respect Mr Assange's "freedom" and allow him to seek compensation.

The WikiLeaks founder, who is wanted for extradition on a rape accusation in Sweden and has lived in the embassy since June 2012, has said he expects to be treated as a free man if the panel ruled in his favour.

• The UN panel's statement in full

The panel's judgment - which had been leaked a day before its formal announcement - is not legally binding but can be used to apply pressure on states in human rights cases.

Mr Assange filed his complaint against Sweden and Britain to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in September 2014, claiming his confinement in the embassy amounted to illegal detention.

• Assange to demand UK accepts 'unlawful detention ruling'