Julian Assange cancels planned ‘special announcement’ – The Guardian

Supporters of Julian Assange had been preparing to hear from the WikiLeaks fugitive in central London on Monday. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP

The WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has abruptly cancelled a press conference at which he had planned to make a special announcement.

Journalists and supporters had gathered under a balcony at the Ecuadorian embassy in central London, from where Assange usually conducts press conferences.

The latest was to have coincided with the fifth anniversary of his taking refuge in the embassy.

The Swedish authorities have dropped an investigation into sex-related allegations, but there is an arrest warrant out for him in the UK accusing him of jumping bail.

Assange expressed hope in an interview with the Press Association ahead of the planned press conference that a standoff with the UK authorities might be resolved.

He cited various reasons to be hopeful. We have support across many parts of the political spectrum in the United States, including most of the mainstream media.

Within Europe there is a growing recognition that extraditing me or any of our staff to Trumps America is not a way to win votes.

Assange has repeatedly expressed fears that arrest in the UK would lead to his extradition to the US, where he could be charged with espionage offences. Without the UK arrest warrant, Assange would be free to fly to Ecuador, which has offered him asylum.

Melinda Taylor, one of Assanges legal team who was outside the embassy on Monday, said: Julian was scheduled to make a special announcement today. I am not privy to that. His UK lawyers were told there is going to be a meeting with UK authorities.

Under advisement, he cancelled the announcement to assure negotiations proceeded in an open and constructive manner because it is essential there is a resolution as soon as possible to what the UN stated is illegal and arbitrary detention.

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Julian Assange cancels planned 'special announcement' - The Guardian