Reports are circulating indicating that British police officers may be preparing to enter the Ecuadorian Embassy to effect the arrest of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for deportation to Sweden, where he currently faces allegations of sexual assualt.
Julian Assange has been present in the London Embassy of Ecuador for approximately 2 months as the country considers his application for political asylum.
Tensions are rising within the area surrounding the Embassy as Metropolitan Police officers were drafted in to ‘surround’ the embassy in the early hours. Since then, and more recently, Police officers are reported to have arrested several British supporters of the Wikileaks founder in the vicinity of the Embassy. These supporters allege that they are being arrested due to their support for Assange, as opposed to having actually committed a crime.
One of the protesters who was arrested stated: “There is absolutely no reason for me to be arrested except for the fact that the police do not like the idea of having British citizens defending the rights of Ecuador and standing against the unjust and illegal actions of the police”.
The official reason for police officers surrounding the Ecuador Embassy is currently unknown, however it is widely believed that they are there to enforce a warrant for Assange’s arrest. This information is supported by the fact that news agencies have seen a custody van parked up at the Embassy.
British officials wrote a letter to Ecuadorian officials stating that they would have the right to remove the diplomatic status of the Embassy in order to enter it arrest Assange.
Ecuador government officials responded by saying that it would not be pressured into a decision and that the UK government should be aware that by removing the diplomatic status they may be in breach of International law.
The UK government are believed to be still considering their options currently and must be aware that making the wrong decision could be disastrous for International relations.
As it currently stands, no UK officials or law enforcement are permitted to enter the Ecuador Embassy. They equally are not permitted to enter the Embassy and arrest Julian Assange. The Ecuador Embassy currently has ‘extraterritorial status’ meaning that it is not obliged to enforce most local UK laws, including Assange’s arrest warrant.
Undoubtedly, even if permitted under UK legislation, entering the Ecuadorian embassy without permission from the government of Ecuador would create an International incident and could be seen as both a breach of International law as well as an ‘act of war’.
Ecuador are expected to decide on Assange’s political asylum case in the near future. Ecuador have further stated that they will pursue ‘appropriate responses’ should the UK forcibly enter the Embassy, which Ecuador claim would be a breach of International law and the Vienna Convention.