UK protests as Ecuador grants asylum to J Assange

The Ecuador government, loyal to its tradition to protect those who seek refuge with us at our diplomatic missions, has decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Mr Assange, Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said at a news conference.Patino said his government reached its decision after Britain, Sweden and the United States refused to provide guarantees that Assange would not be extradited to the United States where he fears trial for the release of a trove of classified US documents.If he were extradited to the United States, Mr Assange would not receive a fair trial (and) could be judged by special tribunals or military courts, he said.It is not implausible that he would be subjected to cruel and degrading treatment and be condemned to life in prison or capital punishment.Britain ordered Assange extradited to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning about allegations of rape and sexual assault, after he had exhausted all legal appeals.He then turned up at the Ecuadoran embassy in London on June 19, and requested political asylum.Patino said Assanges imprisonment in Sweden would open up a chain of events that would impede his avoiding extradition to a third country.As a result, Ecuador feels his arguments mean his fears are genuine, that he could be the victim of political persecution because of his decisive defense of the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press, he said.Britain said on Thursday it was disappointed by Ecuadors decision to grant political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been holed up at the Latin American states embassy in London for two months.We are disappointed by the statement from Ecuadors foreign minister, that Ecuador has offered political asylum to Julian Assange, a Foreign Office spokesman said.Under UK law with Mr Assange having exhausted all options of appeal the British authorities are under a binding obligation to extradite him to Sweden. We shall carry out that obligation, the spokesman added.