27 Sept 2012

Julian Assange claims Obama is exploiting Arab Spring for political gain

The Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has accused president Obama of seeking to exploit the Arab Spring revolutions for political gain, claiming Obama's vocal support for freedom of expression had not been translated into action.

assange at UN

Assange was speaking to a gathering of diplomats at the UN general assembly through a satellite videolink from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where he sought refuge three months ago from extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on allegations of sex offences.

The meeting was hosted by the Ecuadorean foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, who said he would once more demand the UK grant Assange safe passage to Ecuador when he meets his British counterpart, William Hague later on Thursday. He accused the British government of violating Assange's human rights, saying he could be stuck in the embassy in London for ten years, which a severe impact on his health.

The Guardian