Image copyright EPA Image caption Julian Assange addressed the court hearing in Quito via teleconference

A judge in Ecuador has ruled against WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, who had contested new rules imposed on him in the country's embassy in London.

The judge said a requirement to pay for internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.

Mr Assange had argued that the conditions violated his "fundamental rights and freedoms", and were intended to force him to leave.

His lawyers have appealed against the ruling.

Mr Assange took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.

If he leaves the building he faces arrest for allegedly breaching bail conditions.

Earlier this month, Mr Assange was given a new set of house rules by the London embassy that included paying for internet use and taking better care of his cat. He was also asked to keep the bathroom clean and pay for his own food and laundry.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Assange was given the cat by his children

WikiLeaks lawyer Baltasar Garzón launched the legal action in Ecuador earlier this month and Mr Assange addressed the hearing in the capital, Quito, on Monday via teleconference.

He said Ecuador was trying to end his asylum in the embassy which would see him extradited to the US. The US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said that arresting Julian Assange is a "priority".

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Julian Assange has been holed up in the embassy in London since 2012

Ecuador's Attorney General Iñigo Salvador said that if Mr Assange wanted to stay "and he follows the rules... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants". He added that his time at the embassy had so far cost Ecuador $6m (£4.6m).

Judge Karina Martínez ruled against Mr Assange, saying that the foreign ministry was in charge of determining his living conditions.

Mr Assange's legal team launched an appeal which will be heard by a higher court in the coming days.

In March, the embassy in London removed Mr Assange's internet connection, accusing him of "interfering in other countries' affairs".

It later said it would be partially restored.

WikiLeaks was set up by Mr Assange and a group of like-minded friends in 2006 as a site where whistleblowers could send confidential documents and images to be published online.

The site came to prominence with the release of footage in 2010 of a US military helicopter shooting civilians in Iraq.</s>A judge has ruled against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, rejecting his request to loosen new requirements that he says are meant to push him into leaving his asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Judge Karina Martinez decided stricter rules recently imposed by the South American nation’s embassy — such as requiring Assange to pay for his internet and clean up after his cat — do not violate his asylum rights because authorities have the right to decide what is allowed inside the building.

Ecuadorian officials praised the ruling in the latest row between the Australian hacker and the government that has provided him refuge for six years.

Relations between Assange and Ecuador have grown increasingly prickly as the years have dragged on with no solution in sight.

Assange’s lawyer Carlos Poveda vowed to appeal against the decision: “The Ecuadorian state has an international responsibility to protect Mr Assange.”

Assange argued that the new measures making it more difficult to receive visitors and requiring him to pay for services like laundry and medical bills are meant to coerce him into ending his asylum.

The rules also make clear that if Assange does not properly feed and take care of his cat, the animal could be sent to a cats’ home. Julian Assange at the Ecuadorean embassy in London (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

Ecuador’s government contended the requirements are aimed at peaceful cohabitation in tight quarters in the small embassy, where Assange takes up more than a third of the space.

Officials have complained that his football playing and skateboarding have damaged the building.

“It’s clear this protocol was issued with strict respect for international law,” Jose Valencia, Ecuador’s foreign minister, said after the ruling.

Ecuador granted Assange asylum in the embassy in 2012 as he tried to avoid extradition to Sweden.

Sweden’s top prosecutor later dropped a long-running inquiry into a rape allegation against him, saying there was no way to detain or charge him because of his protected status in the embassy.

He remains wanted in Britain for jumping bail, and he also fears a possible US extradition based on his leaking of classified State Department documents.

Assange initially enjoyed a cosy relationship with then Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa but relations with his host nation have steadily deteriorated. Current President Lenin Moreno has warned him not to meddle in matters that can jeopardise Ecuador’s foreign relations.- Press Association</s>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost a legal challenge to new house rules imposed on him by the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he's been holed up to avoid extradition to the US.

Ecuadorian Judge Karina Martinez dismissed Assange's request for an injunction against new government rules that prohibit him from commenting on affairs in a way that could harm Ecuador's foreign relations, set parameters on his visitation privileges and require him to clean up after his cat, Bloomberg reported Monday. Assange could be expelled from the embassy if he fails to comply with the new rules.

Assange has been holed up in a small room in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for more than six years, initially entering it to avoid extradition for a rape charge in Sweden. The country dropped that charge but he's still facing a UK charge of skipping bail.

The UK maintains that Assange's exile is self-imposed, and in February a judge upheld a warrant for his arrest. But Ecuadorian officials have apparently grown weary of Assange's presence in the embassy, saying in January that his situation is "not sustainable."

"There's a limit as to how low a country can stoop," Assange said from the embassy via teleconference at a hearing in Quito of the lawsuit. Assange accused Ecuador's government of imposing the new rules in a veiled attempt to pressure him to leave the embassy and end his asylum.

Assange is concerned that if he leaves the embassy, the US may also seek to extradite him on espionage charges. Last year, the US Justice Department was reportedly considering filing criminal charges against WikiLeaks and Assange in connection with the 2010 leak of diplomatic cables and military documents.

In June, an international group of lawyers appealed to the UN's Human Rights Council regarding concerns that Assange's protracted confinement is having a severe impact on his physical and mental health.

Security: Stay up-to-date on the latest in breaches, hacks, fixes and all those cybersecurity issues that keep you up at night.

Blockchain Decoded: CNET looks at the tech powering bitcoin -- and soon, too, a myriad services that will change your life.</s>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Monday that Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum in its London embassy and hand him over to the United States, citing new rules governing his residence at the Andean nation's diplomatic mission as evidence.

Assange spoke from the embassy via teleconference at the first hearing in Quito of his lawsuit challenging the Ecuadorean government requiring him to pay for medical bills, phone calls and clean up after his pet cat.

He took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that was later dropped. He remains there to avoid being jailed by Great Britain for violating the terms of his bail, which he has said would result in his being handed over to Washington.

During the hearing, Assange said the new rules were a sign Ecuador was trying to push him out, and said Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.

The South American country's top government attorney, Iigo Salvador, did not directly respond to Assange's allegations. Last week, Salvador told reporters Assange was welcome to stay in the embassy with the new rules. He also said the United Kingdom in August had assured Assange would not be extradited if he left the embassy.

Ecuadorean officials have in the past said he is welcome to stay as long as he follows the embassy rules.

Staff had complained of Assange riding a skateboard in the halls of the embassy, of playing soccer on the grounds and behaving aggressively with security personnel.

Ecuador's government also objected to his making online making commentary about sensitive political issues in other countries, including publishing opinions about the Catalonia separatist movement in Spain.

The new set of rules were meant to address these concerns, Salvador said.

Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia told Reuters last week that the government was "frustrated" by the lawsuit and that it would no longer intervene with British authorities on Assange's behalf.

US federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, have maintained a long-running grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks, which according to one source includes a probe into leaks of Central Intelligence Agency documents to the website.</s>A judge ruled against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange yesterday, rejecting his request to loosen new requirements that he says are meant to push him into leaving his asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Judge Karina Martinez decided stricter rules recently imposed by the South American nation's embassy — such as requiring Assange to pay for his internet and clean up after his cat — do not violate his asylum rights because authorities have the right to decide what is and isn't allowed inside the building.

Ecuadorian officials praised the ruling in the latest row between the Australian hacker and the government that has provided him refuge for six years. Relations between Assange and Ecuador have grown increasingly prickly as the years have dragged on with no solution in sight.

Assange's lawyer vowed to appeal the decision. "The Ecuadorian state has an international responsibility to protect Mr. Assange," attorney Carlos Poveda said.

Assange argued that the new measures making it more difficult to receive visitors and requiring him to pay for services like laundry and medical bills are meant to coerce him into ending his asylum. The rules also make clear that if Assange doesn't properly feed and take care of his cat, the animal could be sent to the pound.

Ecuador granted Assange asylum in the embassy in 2012 as he tried to avoid extradition to Sweden. Sweden's top prosecutor later dropped a long-running inquiry into a rape allegation against him, saying there was no way to detain or charge him because of his protected status in the embassy. Nonetheless, Assange remains wanted in Britain for jumping bail, and he also fears a possible U.S. extradition based on his leaking of classified State Department documents.

Assange initially enjoyed a cozy relationship with then Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa but relations with his host nation have steadily deteriorated. Current President Lenin Moreno has warned him not to meddle in matters that can jeopardize Ecuador's foreign relations.</s>A judge in Ecuador has ruled against WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, who had contested new rules imposed on him in the country's embassy in London.

The judge said a requirement to pay for internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.

Mr Assange had argued that the conditions violated his "fundamental rights and freedoms", and were intended to force him to leave.

His lawyers have appealed against the ruling.

Mr Assange took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.

If he leaves the building he faces arrest for allegedly breaching bail conditions.

Earlier this month, Mr Assange was given a new set of house rules by the London embassy that included paying for internet use and taking better care of his cat. He was also asked to keep the bathroom clean and pay for his own food and laundry.

Wikileaks lawyer Baltasar Garzon launched the legal action in Ecuador earlier this month and Mr Assange addressed the hearing in the capital, Quito, on Monday via teleconference.

He said Ecuador was trying to end his asylum in the embassy which would see him extradited to the US. The US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said that arresting Julian Assange is a "priority".

Ecuador's Attorney General Inigo Salvador said that if Mr Assange wanted to stay "and he follows the rules... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants". He added that his time at the embassy had so far cost Ecuador $6m (£4.6m).

Judge Karina Martinez ruled against Mr Assange, saying that the foreign ministry was in charge of determining his living conditions.

Mr Assange's legal team launched an appeal which will be heard by a higher court in the coming days.

In March, the embassy in London removed Mr Assange's internet connection, accusing him of "interfering in other countries' affairs".

It later said it would be partially restored.</s>For the founder of WikiLeaks the Ecuadorean president had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s lawsuit was rejected Monday by an Ecuadorean court after the whistleblower sued the government over violation of his fundamental rights as amid his stay in the country’s London embassy as an asylee.

Assange, speaking from the Ecuadorean embassy in London via teleconference, pointed out that, Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum in its London embassy and hand him over to the United States, citing a new set of rules governing his residence at the Andean nation’s diplomatic mission as evidence.

The lawsuit challenges the new rules, which require him to pay for medical bills, phone calls and clean up after his pet cat. Assange’s lawyer said that his client would be appealing the decision and that another hearing would take place in the near future.

During the hearing, Assange said the new rules were a sign Ecuador was trying to push him out and said Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.

Regarding the question of whether it’s in the State’s interest to maintain the asylum, a source at the foreign ministry stated that Mr. Assange may keep his asylum if it is in his interest if he abides by the rules the judge has deemed constitutional.

His comments prompted the South American country’s top government attorney, Iñigo Salvador, to interrupt him and warn him not to make political statements during the proceedings.

Assange’s possible handover was also hinted by former President Rafael Correa in an interview with RT. Correa, during whose leadership Assange was granted asylum in the embassy, also mentioned that he is an Ecuadorean citizen since 2017 and deserves his fundamental rights to be protected by the country.

Court officials told journalists they could not record any of the statements made during the hearing.

Salvador did not directly respond to Assange’s allegations, but he had told reporters last week Assange was welcome to stay in the embassy with the new rules. He also said the United Kingdom in August had assured Assange would not be extradited if he left the embassy, where he has lived since 2012.

The new rules, against which WikiLeaks lawyer filed a lawsuit, Assange is responsible for getting his own food thereby increasing his risk of arrest by U.K. authorities. His visitation rights have also been restricted.

Ecuadorean embassy also said it is not responsible for the “food, medical provisions, laundry or other costs related to Julian Assange from December 1, 2018, and onward.” The diplomats underlined that he will also have to pay for and clean up after his pet cat.

Assange took refuge in the embassy after British courts ordered his extradition to Sweden to face questioning in a sexual assault case. That case has been dropped, but supporters have said that Assange fears he could be extradited to the United States if he leaves the embassy.

WikiLeaks, which published U.S. diplomatic and military secrets when Assange ran the operation, faces a U.S. grand jury investigation.

In a departure from its previous practice of maintaining a dialogue with British authorities over Assange’s situation, Ecuador’s Foreign Minister José Valencia told Reuters last week that the government would no longer intervene on Assange’s behalf, adding that the government was “frustrated” by the lawsuit.</s>QUITO (REUTERS) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Monday (Oct 29) that Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum in its London embassy and hand him over to the United States, but a judge rejected his lawsuit over embassy living conditions.

Assange spoke from the embassy via teleconference at a hearing in Quito of a lawsuit challenging the Ecuadorean government requiring him to pay for medical bills, phone calls and clean up after his pet cat.

He took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that was later dropped. He remains there to avoid being jailed by Great Britain for violating the terms of his bail, which he has said would result in his being handed over to Washington.

During the hearing, Assange said the new rules were a sign Ecuador was trying to push him out, and said Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.

"If Mr Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country US$6 million (S$8 million).

Foreign Minister Jose Valencia declined to comment on Assange's assertion that Ecuador sought to hand him over to the United States.

Judge Karina Martinez rejected the lawsuit, saying the Foreign Ministry was in charge of determining his living conditions.

Assange's legal team said it immediately appealed the ruling.

Embassy staff had complained of Assange riding a skateboard in the halls, of playing soccer on the grounds and behaving aggressively with security personnel.

Ecuador's government also objected to his making online commentary about sensitive political issues in other countries, including publishing opinions about the Catalonia separatist movement in Spain.

The new rules were meant to address these concerns, Salvador said.

The United Kingdom in August had assured Assange that he would not be extradited if he left the embassy, Salvador told reporters last week.

Valencia told Reuters last week that the government was"frustrated" by the lawsuit and that it would no longer intervene with British authorities on Assange's behalf.

US federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, have maintained a long-running grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks, which according to one source includes a probe into leaks of Central Intelligence Agency documents to the website.</s>WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's claim that Ecuador is violating his "fundamental rights" in its London embassy has been thrown out by the country.

The 47-year-old Australian claimed Ecuador was limiting his access to the outside world and he was living in an "inhuman situation".

Mr Assange's situation should have already been resolved but is being "dragged out longer and longer" by the "involved states", his lawyer said.

Mr Assange has claimed new asylum terms forcing him to pay for medical bills, laundry and phone calls and to clean up after his pet cat violate his rights and are meant to coerce him into ending his asylum.

In the Ecuadorean capital of Quito, magistrate Karen Martinez ruled on Monday that the suit could not move forward.

The hearing was suspended last Friday after Mr Assange complained the Spanish translator only understood English, and was not fluent in Australian.

Mr Assange has been in Ecuador's London embassy since 2012 after he sought refuge there following a British judge ruling he should be extradited to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations.

Sweden dropped the case in 2017 but Mr Assange remains in the embassy as he fears being extradited to the US to face charges over the WikiLeaks website's release of sensitive US government files.

A Met Police arrest warrant is also still in force as he absconded after being released on bail in 2010, so as soon as he steps out of the embassy's grounds he will most likely be arrested.

Ecuador's government confirmed in March that it blocked Mr Assange's internet and mobile phone access because they claim he broke "a written commitment" to not interfere in the country's foreign policies.

Officials have also complained that Mr Assange has caused damage by playing football and skateboarding in the embassy building, where he takes up more than a third of the space.

A protocol governing his stay at the embassy warns that further breaches will lead to "termination of asylum", Ecuadorian internet site Codigo Vidrio said.

Quito has never denied it.

US attorney general Jeff Sessions said in March 2017 that arresting Mr Assange for leaking sensitive US government files was a "priority".

Mr Assange's lawyer in Ecuador, Carlos Poveda, has appealed Monday's ruling, meaning a higher court should review the case in coming days.</s>Assange fears if he had to leave the embassy he would be extradited to the US, who are investigating him over his Wikileaks activities.

But a judge in Quito rejected the lawsuit over Assange's living conditions.

The Australian took refuge in the London embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that was later dropped.

He remains there to avoid being jailed by the UK for violating the terms of his bail, which he has said would result in him being handed over to Washington.

Ecuador argued the conditions imposed on Assange were aimed at promoting peaceful cohabitation in confined quarters.

They include rules on properly feeding and taking care of his cat, threatening to send it to a home if he does not comply.

He will also have to pay for his own internet, food and laundry.

“If Mr Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants,” said Attorney General Inigo Salvador.

Assange’s stay at the embassy had so far cost Ecuador $6 million (€5.28 million), added Salvador.

Foreign Minister Jose Valencia declined to comment on Assange’s assertion that Ecuador sought to hand him over to the United States.

Judge Karina Martinez rejected the lawsuit, saying Ecuador’s foreign ministry was in charge of determining his living conditions.

Relations between Assange and Ecuador have deteriorated as the years have passed, seemingly with no end in sight.

Assange’s legal team said it immediately appealed the ruling.
A judge in Ecuador rules against WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, who had contested new rules imposed on him in the country's embassy in London. Assange had argued that the conditions violated his "fundamental rights and freedoms", and were intended to force him to leave. His lawyers have appealed against the ruling. Assange took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.