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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange declared victory Friday, expressing vindication over a U.N. panel's judgment that the governments of Sweden and the United Kingdom have "arbitrarily detained" him since 2010.
But does this decision mean Assange will become a free man? Or that anything definitively about the cases against him have changed?
Not if you ask the Swedish and UK governments. And Assange doesn't appear ready to test them, remaining inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he first sought refuge in 2012.
But does this decision mean Assange will become a free man? Or that anything definitively about the cases against him have changed?
Not if you ask the Swedish and UK governments. And Assange doesn't appear ready to test them, remaining inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he first sought refuge in 2012.
Speaking to reporters Friday via video, Assange called the decision "legally binding."
He warned that failure to act on the ruling would undermine "the U.N. system, and there are consequences of doing that." He said Sweden and the UK would not be "treated seriously as international players" and possibly could be taken off key committees or even face sanctions.
"That's, of course, a matter for the U.N. to decide about how it's going to enforce its decision," Assange said, "and a matter for Sweden and the UK to think do they really want to go down that path."
He warned that failure to act on the ruling would undermine "the U.N. system, and there are consequences of doing that." He said Sweden and the UK would not be "treated seriously as international players" and possibly could be taken off key committees or even face sanctions.
"That's, of course, a matter for the U.N. to decide about how it's going to enforce its decision," Assange said, "and a matter for Sweden and the UK to think do they really want to go down that path."