WikiLeaks’ Assange Says He’ll Leave Embassy In London

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (right) said he'll leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, at a news conference with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino. Assange has been holed up at the embassy for two years. John Stillwell/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (right) said he'll leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, at a news conference with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino. Assange has been holed up at the embassy for two years.

Citing health concerns, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says he'll leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has lived in diplomatic asylum for more than two years. Assange didn't name a date for his exit, which will seemingly come without a deal over potential criminal charges against him.

After calling a news conference, Assange, 43, said that the isolation of living in Ecuador's embassy since June of 2012 has taken a toll, mentioning problems with his heart and lungs:

"As you can imagine, being detained in various ways in this country without charge for four years and in this embassy for two years, which has no outside area, therefore no sunlight it's an environment in which any healthy person would find themselves soon enough with certain difficulties."

Assange faces U.S. accusations that his anti-secrecy campaign damaged its national security, as well as allegations in Sweden of rape and sexual assault. And while Assange has lived in seclusion recently, WikiLeaks played a central role in helping former NSA contract worker Edward Snowden gain asylum in Russia to escape U.S. espionage charges.

NPR's Ari Shapiro reports on today's news conference, for Morning Edition:

"The entire event had a pretty defensive tone. Assange laid out his rebuttal to the allegations against him, both in the U.S. and in Sweden. He said he has not been officially, publicly charged with any crimes.

"But British officials always said that if he set foot outside the embassy, he'd be arrested immediately which would mean deportation to either Sweden or the U.S. to face trial.

"Assange argued that his persecution is a threat to journalists everywhere. In terms of tone, he spoke slowly, often stopping and restarting sentences."

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WikiLeaks' Assange Says He'll Leave Embassy In London