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Julian Assange gestures as he speaks to the media from the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador on May 19, 2017, in London. The Human Rights Watch wrote that he should not have to face judgment under the U.S. Espionage Act.
Six years after entering the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains in limbo. The government of Ecuador recently terminated his internet connection, and reports from his legal representatives suggest his medical situation is worsening.
This week, on the anniversary of his arrival at the embassy in June 2012, Human Rights Watch threw its weight behind the controversial figure, saying he should not be forced to face judgment under the "antiquated" U.S. Espionage Act.
"The U.K. has the power to resolve concerns over his isolation, health, and confinement by removing the threat of extradition for publishing newsworthy leaks,"
wrote the general counsel of Human Rights Watch, Dinah PoKempner, in a blog post on Tuesday. "It should do so before another year passes."
Assange fled to the embassy in 2012 to escape sexual assault allegations in Sweden and was granted political asylum. While
Swedish prosecutors dropped the case in May 2017, the U.K. has an outstanding warrant for his arrest accusing him of skipping bail, and he still fears leaving the embassy because of the threat of
extradition to the U.S. for leaking secrets.
Comment: Kudos to Roger Waters for his continuing efforts on behalf of the beleaguered Palestinians despite repeated attempts to curtail his influence: