Julian Assange future: what we know and what we don't know indy100 indy100 Indy100 logoNewsletter sign upRegister/Sign inTop 100NewsViralPoliticsCelebritiesScience & TechVideoWishlistWishlistBooksFashion & BeautyFood & DrinkHome & GardenKidsSports & FitnessTechTravel & OutdoorsMoreScience & techVideoConversationsSportIdentitiesLifestyleShowbizTVSearchxNews

Julian Assange future what we know and what we don' t know

Dina RickmanAug 18, 2014 Julian Assange announced this morning he is leaving the Ecuadorian embassy "soon". He has not stepped foot outside the embassy, in Knightsbridge, London, for 790 days and his announcement follows speculation he was planning to leave to seek hospital treatment for heart and lung problems.

What we know

Today he mentioned the "difficulty" of living inside a small room, which he said would affect any "healthy person". Last week Assange lost a legal bid to have the arrest warrant against him cancelled. The decision by Judge Lena Egelin dashed hopes of a breakthrough in his case. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy since June 2012, and was granted diplomatic asylum in August 2012. The UK government want to extradite him to Sweden for questioning in relation to rape and sexual assault claims made by two women. Assange denies all claims against him. Assange told journalists there has been "no movement at all" in the Swedish investigation and said the Ecuadorian government and his legal team were the only "reasonable" parties involved in the case.

What has been reported

According to The Sun (£), the 43-year-old Wikileaks founder has developed heart and lung problems and needs hospital treatment. The Mail on Sunday reports a severe shortage of Vitamin D, the vitamin a person gets from sunshine, has taken its toll on Assange's health.

What we don' t know

We don't know when exactly Assange will leave the embassy, or whether police will immediately arrest Assange when he does - or if they will let him stay and have medical treatment. He told the Mail on Sunday yesterday that if he were to leave he would want "an understanding – formal or informal – that I would be given time to leave the UK before the US puts in an extradition bid. And then I’d go to my children, like any father." We also don't know the exact cost of Assange's time in the Ecuadorian embassy, although estimates put it at £7 million.

Chilling political ad shows what it' s like when abortion is illegal

Emma Thompson I cried when I heard Scottish school had won top prize

The tomb of ' Santa Claus' has been discovered in Turkey

Please log in or register to upvote this article

Top 100

Who won today' s PMQs Truss tells Starmer she' s ' a fighter not a quitter'

prime minister's questionspmqsliz trusskeir starmerprime minister's questions2h

Elon Musk reportedly thought that Grimes was not real

elon muskgrimescelebritiesspacexteslaelon musk5h

Just Stop Oil protester praised for ' great' explanation of soup stunt

just stop oilvan goghprotestclimate activistsjust stop oil5h

Man endures ' 29 hour flight' with screaming kids for the entire trip

flightplanechildflightOct 12, 2022

Lorraine Kelly hits out at Madonna' s ' boiled egg' face

madonnamadonnalorraine kellygmbshowbizplastic surgeryOct 11, 2022

Elon Musk is actually selling a ' Burnt Hair' fragrance

elon muskthe boring companyperfumeelon muskburnt hairOct 12, 2022

Couple spark debate for ' scandalous' wedding cake topper

wedding caketiktokwedding cakeviralOct 12, 2022

Love Island star shows extent of how far influencers edit photos

Love IslandLove IslandinfluencersshowbizOct 11, 2022

Jon Stewart slams Arkansas attorney general for her ' anti-trans law'

lgbt+Oct 11, 2022

Steven Seagal describes Putin as one of ' greatest world leaders'

steven seagalOct 10, 2022

Lizzo wears empowering shirt after being fat-shamed by Kanye West

lizzoOct 10, 2022

14 of the worst things the Tories did this week

liz trussOct 08, 2022

M People' s Mike Pickering was ' appalled' hearing Liz Truss used song

Liz TrussOct 06, 2022

Why Elon Musk once gave $1m to Mr Beast

mrbeastOct 05, 2022The Conversation (0)