Ecuador confirms search of Julian Assange's belongings in embassy after request by United States

PA

The Ecuadorian government has confirmed that officials are searching through the belongings of Julian Assange after a request by the United States.

In a statement published online, the government said the search was to identify and confiscate belongings that could offer clues to possible criminal activity.

Protesters gathered outside the embassy in Knightsbridge on Monday morning after WikiLeaks claimed its founder's possessions would be handed to US prosecutors who are seeking his extradition.

Assange, 47, was dramatically dragged out of the embassy building in April and sentenced to 50 weeks in Belmarsh Prison for a bail breach.

Police outside the Ecuadorian embassy amid reports that officers have searched through Julian Assange's posessions from the Ecuadorian embassy in London 
EPA

The search is being carried out under the authorisation of a judge and following a request for judicial assistance from the United States, the statement said, adding that other countries had also made similar requests.

If officials do decide to confiscate any of the whistleblower's belongings these will be sent to Ecuador for analysis and then possibly passed on to those seeking judicial assistance.

Wikileaks claimed material such as legal papers, medical records and electronic equipment will be handed to US prosecutors.

A group of Metropolitan Police officers briefly attended the scene outside the Ecuadorian Embassy earlier, facing questions and chants from protesters, before leaving again.

Julian Assange supporters outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
EPA

Protesters fixed banners to railings outside the embassy with images of Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag.

The small group held up posters with the messages "Free Assange" and "#FreeSpeech".

One woman shouted towards the building: "You are stealing Assange's belongings.”

WikiLeaks claimed its founder's possessions left from his time living inside the embassy, including legal papers and electronic equipment, were to be removed on Monday.

The material is said to include two of Assange's manuscripts.

One former diplomat joining the small crowd of protestors outside the embassy labelled Ecuador's treatment of Assange as "shameful".

Former consul Fidel Narvaez, who worked in the building between 2010 and 2018, said he considered Assange "my friend" who was "very respectful" and had a "good relationship" with embassy staff.

A police officer walks past the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
PA

"I feel ashamed of the way the Ecuadorian government is dealing with Julian's case, the way they evicted him, allowing foreign forces to go into the embassy and to drag a political refugee out by force," said Mr Narvaez.

He claimed ongoing "co-operation" between Ecuador and the US had seen Ecuadorian diplomats interviewed by US prosecutors and the handing over of Assange's possessions would be "immoral".

Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor in chief of WikiLeaks said prior to the government’s confirmation: "On Monday, Ecuador will perform a puppet show at the Embassy of Ecuador in London for their masters in Washington, just in time to expand their extradition case before the UK deadline on 14 June.

“The Trump administration is inducing its allies to behave like it's the Wild West.”

Baltasar Garzon, international legal coordinator for the defence of Assange and WikiLeaks, said: "It is extremely worrying that Ecuador has proceeded with the search and seizure of property, documents, information and other material belonging to the defence of Julian Assange, which Ecuador arbitrarily confiscated, so that these can be handed over to the the agent of political persecution against him, the United States.

"It is an unprecedented attack on the rights of the defence, freedom of expression and access to information exposing massive human rights abuses and corruption.

"We call on international protection institutions to intervene to put a stop to this persecution."

Additional reporting by PA.

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