Send to Kindle
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange delivers a statement on the balcony inside the Ecuador Embassy where he has sought asylum in London, Britain, 19 August 2012. EPA/BGNES
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is making "wild assertions" about the United States in an attempt to divert public attention from justice he faces in Sweden, the US Department of State said.
"[Assange's] issue with the Government of the United Kingdom has to do with whether he's going to face justice in Sweden for something that has nothing to do with WikiLeaks. It has to do with charges of sexual misconduct," US State Department's spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a daily press briefing, as cited by RIA Novosti.
In his first public appearance in two months on Sunday, which was from the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador in London, Assange called on the United States to stop persecuting WikiLeaks staffers and website's supporters around the world.
"So he is clearly trying to deflect attention away from the real issue, which is whether he's going to face justice in Sweden, which is the immediate issue. So that case has nothing to do with us. It's a matter between the UK, Sweden, and now Ecuador has inserted itself," Nuland added.
Assange has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for two months as he fights extradition to Sweden on sex crime charges, which he denies. Last Thursday Assange was granted asylum in Ecuador but he still faces arrest the minute he steps out of the embassy building.
The world's most famous whistleblower is suspected of sexual assault against two women that allegedly took place in August 2010. He claims the sex was consensual and the accusations against him are politically motivated.
WikiLeaks' publication of US diplomatic cables on November 29, 2010, containing forthright comments from US diplomats about foreign leaders and events, caused an internet sensation and enraged US officials. WikiLeaks previously published tens of thousands of documents about the actions of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
The latest forecast, made 100 days before the Paris Olympics, predicts that the United States will once again lead the medals table, securing the top position for the fourth consecutive Summer Games
The United States, Britain, and France have issued advisories urging their citizens to avoid travel to Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian territories in the coming days
The United States is contemplating dropping charges against Julian Assange, as confirmed by President Joe Biden, who stated that he is considering the request
An organized criminal group comprising Bulgarian citizens has been implicated in what authorities describe as the largest welfare fraud scheme in the legal history of Great Britain
In a pivotal development for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the High Court in London granted him the opportunity on Tuesday to continue his legal battle against extradition to the United States
Tensions between the United States and Israel have escalated following the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
Ukraine's Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, issued a stark warning, stating that a third world war would erupt if Russia emerged victorious in the ongoing conflict
In a widely expected outcome, Croatia's ruling conservative party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections
Republican Congressman Mike Johnson from Louisiana has made a significant pivot in his stance on foreign aid, potentially swaying conservative opinion in favor of supporting aid to Ukraine
German authorities have apprehended two individuals holding dual German and Russian citizenship on suspicion of orchestrating acts of sabotage, including targeting United States military installations, to undermine military support for Ukraine.
Indonesia is grappling with a mounting crisis as rescue teams mobilize to evacuate thousands of people following a series of volcanic eruptions that have rattled the region
In a rare and highly anticipated move, Pavel Durov, the enigmatic owner and founder of the social platform Telegram, has emerged from years of relative seclusion to grant his first interview in a decade
UN Happiness Report: Bulgaria's Astonishing Leap in Rankings
Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022
