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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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".
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.