LATEST! Philip Hammond brands UN panel decision on Assange ‘ridiculous’

LATEST! Philip Hammond brands UN panel decision on Assange ‘ridiculous’

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The foreign secretary has branded a UN panel’s opinion calling for Julian Assange to be allowed to go free “ridiculous”, as the Wikileaks founder demanded the decision be respected.Mr Assange – who faces extradition to Sweden over a rape claim, which he denies – claimed asylum in London’s Ecuadorean embassy in 2012.The panel said he had been “arbitrarily detained” and should get damages. Philip Hammond rejected the decision, accusing Mr Assange of evading justice.

Mr Assange hailed it a “major success” and called the verdict “binding”.The UN panel ruled Mr Assange was being “arbitrarily detained” in great britain since he was initially arrested in 2010.Reading a statement via a video link from your embassy, he said the opinion of the panel was “vindication”, adding: “The lawfulness of my detention has become a matter of settled law.”Mr Assange said it was a “really significant victory that has brought a smile to my face”.Mr Hammond said Mr Assange was a “fugitive from justice”, including that he can come out “any time he chooses” but will still must face justice in Sweden.Nevertheless, Mr Assange said the comments by Mr Hammond were “below” the minister’s prominence and “dissing” to the UN.