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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange addressed the media holding a printed report of the judgement of the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on his case from the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy in central London.
WIKILEAKS has released medical records claiming its founder Julian Assange’s mental health was at risk if he remained in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, ahead of a court hearing in Sweden to decide whether to maintain an arrest warrant for him.
More than four years since Assange moved into the Ecuadorean embassy to escape extradition to Sweden — where he faces a police investigation into rape claims — WikiLeaks argued his confinement there needed to be brought to an end as a matter of urgency.
“Mr Assange’s mental health is highly likely to deteriorate over time if he remains in his current situation ... It is urgent that his current circumstances are resolved as quickly as possible,†said a report published by the organisation on Twitter.
The 27-page medical report is attributed to an unnamed “trauma and psychosocial expert†in London and dated December 11, 2015.
It comes ahead of a decision expected today by a Swedish appeals court on whether to maintain an arrest warrant for Assange over the rape accusation.
The judges will decide whether to grant Assange’s request to hear legal arguments on the European arrest warrant issued by Swedish prosecutors in 2010.
Assange’s mental health is highly likely to deteriorate over time if he remains in his current situation, according to WikiLeaks. Picture: Yui Mok.Source:AAP
Separately, Assange has agreed to answer questions from Swedish investigators from October 17 in Ecuador’s embassy.
The newly-released medical report, accompanied by supporting documents, is said to be based on interviews with Assange and includes comments from others at the embassy.
According to the report, Assange often goes up to 22 hours without sleeping, although he has access to a treadmill for physical exercise.
“Until June 2015, Mr Assange felt himself to be resilient but significantly degraded ...,†the report said.
“Since June 2015, however, his physical condition has deteriorated due to limited range of movement, inability to exercise normally and constant pain,†it added, quoting the unnamed expert.
Medical complaints outlined in the report and also the records included pain in his right shoulder and dental pain from a fractured tooth.
One of Assange’s colleagues was also quoted as saying that it had been difficult to find doctors willing to examine the WikiLeaks founder at the embassy.