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Ecuador spoke out against the hypocrisy of the United Nations over the illegal detention of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday.
"Since its creation, this (Human Rights) Council has been the most representative forum for debate and international agreements on human rights around the world,” said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador’s ambassador to the United Nations.
“However, when the transgressions of these rights are carried out by certain politically and economically influential countries, cases are generally not discussed or they are downplayed, which creates an asymmetry that needs to be rectified,” she added in a statement.
A U.N. panel found last month that Assange, who has found refuge in London’s Ecuadorian embassy since 2012, was arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom. No action has been taken to free Assange, but academics, lawyers and politicians have demanded that the European countries respect the United Nations ruling.
“The countries that are involved in this violation are also in breach of the right to health, Mr. Assange's physical and psychological integrity is impacted as he has not received adequate medical treatment since the commencement of his confinement at the Embassy of Ecuador in London where he has asylum," said Espinosa.
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