UK Court upholds arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder

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Europe

A British judge on Tuesday ruled that an arrest warrant for Julian Assange remained valid, blocking him from leaving the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange, the founder of the whistle-blower group WikiLeaks, has faced an arrest in the UK since he skipped bail after entering the embassy in 2012 to escape a sexual assault charge in Sweden that he has always denied.

He has not set foot outside the building for over five years.

Assange's lawyer made an application to Westminster Magistrates' Court earlier, claiming the arrest warrant has "lost its purpose and its function" as Sweden has already terminated investigation over allegations against Assange.

However, senior district judge Emma Arbuthnot said that she was "not persuaded the warrant should be withdrawn."

Assange’s legal team said the Tuesday's result was far from final and vows to let the WikiLeaks founder "leave the country freely and without interference.”

“For more than seven years we have been fighting to end Julian Assange’s detention without charge. After today, that fight will continue until we can ensure his freedom," said Jennifer Robinson of Doughty Street Chambers.

Ecuador announced in January that it had granted citizenship to Assange.