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Assange to accept arrest if UN panel rules against him

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<p>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's stay at London's Ecuadorian Embassy may soon be over. </p><p>Assange, an Austrailian citizen, has been at the embassy since 2012 — taking refuge shortly after the U.K. ruled he should be extradited to Sweden to face an arrest warrant for alleged sexual assaults. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNOnvp5t7Do" target="_blank">TED Conferences</a>)</p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/feb/04/julian-assange-wikileaks-arrest-friday-un-investigation" target="_blank">Multiple</a> <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35490910" target="_blank">outlets</a> say an appeal filed by Assange has been reviewed by the United Nations, which reportedly found that Assange is being "arbitrarily detained" in the U.K. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWorNyVC5Ds" target="_blank">ABC</a>)</p><p>The U.N.'s official decision isn't expected to come out until Friday. If the panel does rule in favor of Assange, that ruling wouldn't be considered legally binding. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3HWiydFlJc" target="_blank">RT</a>)</p><p>Assange said through his WikiLeaks <a href="https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/695084493825273856" target="_blank">Twitter page,</a> "I will accept arrest by British police on Friday if UN rules against me."</p><p>Police were stationed outside the Ecuadorian Embassy for the majority of Assange's stay, but left in late 2015 after Sweden dropped some of the charges against him.</p><p>So how did the U.N. get involved? Assange reportedly submitted the complaint against both Sweden and the U.K. to the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2014. </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/wikileaks/photos/a.206387512729702.43344.108734602494994/947959361905843/?type=3&theater" target="_blank">WikiLeaks</a> began in 2006 and became widely controversial for posting alleged sensitive government documents from anonymous sources. </p><p><i>This video includes images from Getty Images. </i></p>
Posted at 6:53 AM, Feb 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-04 08:51:08-05

LONDON (AP) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said he will accept arrest by British police if a U.N. working group investigating his claims decides that the three years he has spent inside the Ecuadorean Embassy doesn't amount to illegal detention.

Writing on WikiLeaks' Twitter account, Assange said if the U.N. panel finds he has lost his case against the United Kingdom and Sweden then he will turn himself in to police at noon on Friday.

"However, should I prevail and the state parties be found to have acted unlawfully, I expect the immediate return of my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me," Assange added.

British police said Thursday that nothing has changed regarding Assange's situation and that police will still seek to arrest him if he leaves the Ecuadorean Embassy.

The U.N. panel based in Geneva doesn't have any binding authority to impose its findings on the British or Swedish judicial authorities, which have been involved in years of legal wrangling involving Assange.

Its decision could, however, influence how aggressively Swedish prosecutors pursue Assange for questioning about allegations of sexual misconduct.

Karin Rosander, a spokeswoman for Swedish prosecutors, told The Associated Press on Thursday that "we have no comment now. We are waiting for the report."

Assange voluntarily took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden where two women have accused him of sexual assault.

He has said his main legal concern is a possible indictment against him in the U.S. on charges related to WikiLeaks' release of government cables.

He has expressed the fear that British and Swedish authorities plan to send him to the U.S. to face charges against him there.

British police guarded the Ecuadorean Embassy for several years but removed the round-the-clock security cordon in October.

Police said they would still seek to arrest Assange if he leaves the embassy because of a valid arrest warrant. Police said both overt and covert means would be used to keep track of Assange.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.