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Julian Assange says he will be leaving the Ecuadorian embassy 'soon'

The WikiLeaks founder would not tell reporters why he is leaving though.

JULIAN ASSANGE HAS said he will leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been for the past two years.

“I can confirm that I am leaving the embassy soon,” he told a press conference this morning.

However, the 43-year-old would not expand on reports about his health or the reasons for leaving. Newspapers in the UK today said he was suffering with heart and lung problems and needed treatment.

He added that is exit will be “perhaps not for the reasons the press and Sky News are saying at the moment”.

“As you can imagine being detained in various ways for four years and embassy for two years, with no outside area and no sunlight. As a result of the obstruction… It is an environment in which any healthy person would find themselves soon enough with certain difficulties they have to manage,” he said when asked about his health situation.

“The United Nations minimum standard for prisoners – I would remind you that I am not a prisoner, I have not been charged – is one hour a day.”

During the press conference, Assange noted a number of times that he has not been charged with any sex offences in Sweden. He faces extradition, though, as he is wanted for questioning in that country. Assange, however, believes his refuge has given the US time to build a case against him.

The basis of his asylum is not the impending questioning in Sweden, but the investigation by the US department of justice.

The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said the country would continue to offer Assange protection.

“The situation must come to an end — two years is simply too long,” he said.

“We continue to offer him our protection… we continue to be ready to talk with the British government and the Swedish government to find a solution to this serious breach of Julian Assange’s human rights.”

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told AFP after the briefing: “What Julian meant is that his plan is to leave as soon as the British government honours its commitment.”

More: Wikileaks are up to something tonight… But what?

Related: Julian Assange loses bid to scrap arrest warrant, is told to be ‘man enough’ to face sex charges

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33 Comments
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    Mute Mary Loony Mc Donald
    Favourite Mary Loony Mc Donald
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:12 PM

    Censorship dept working overtime today…

    26
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    Mute For Connolly
    Favourite For Connolly
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:38 PM

    @CloneDiarmuid: just like your “Risen” account was banned and you’re now pretending to be someone else Jammin?

    sad little shinner bot : )

    8
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    Mute Mary Loony Mc Donald
    Favourite Mary Loony Mc Donald
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:41 PM

    @Diarmuid: all I did was ask a question

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    Mute Mary Loony Mc Donald
    Favourite Mary Loony Mc Donald
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:50 PM

    @Diarmuid: that says more about you than me…who thinks like that?

    7
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    Mute The Wisen
    Favourite The Wisen
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:54 PM

    @For Connolly: i’m back after being banned, I didn’t go away ye know

    4
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    Mute For Connolly
    Favourite For Connolly
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:01 PM

    @The Risen: welcome back shinnerbot – impersonating diarmuid too I see? don’t like clones myself : )

    3
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    Mute For Connolly
    Favourite For Connolly
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:25 PM

    @CloneDiarmuid: saving comments from the journal now Risen……. someone is under your skin!!!!

    your breakdown was hilarious last night jammin tho

    sad little shinner bot : (

    2
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    Mute For Connolly
    Favourite For Connolly
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    Nov 15th 2017, 8:18 PM

    @CloneDiarmuid:

    so so sad : )

    1
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    Mute Anthony Gallagher
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:45 PM

    Would love to hear, leo the socks view on viginal mesh

    18
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    Mute Misanthrope
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    Nov 15th 2017, 8:34 PM

    @Anthony Gallagher: not his area of expertise

    6
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    Mute Father Hody Commody
    Favourite Father Hody Commody
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:19 PM

    What did Harris say? No woman should be left suffering or in pain? Is that what he said?
    Ava Twomey!

    29
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    Mute Christine Paulette Roche
    Favourite Christine Paulette Roche
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:01 PM

    Squeamish reading, whatever that yoke is,it’s sounds horrific.

    24
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
    Favourite Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Nov 15th 2017, 5:44 PM

    @Christine Paulette Roche: And it doesn’t even sound reversible. You hear of people having the coil taken out when it has side-effects, but these poor women are stuck with a mesh and it’s not even tracked nationally so there’s no feedback on how much it helps or worsens their lives.

    24
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    Mute Minom Pnom
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:47 PM

    Has anybody asked Chris O’Donoghue from Newstalk about his vaginal mesh and how he finds it?

    17
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    Mute Pat Butler
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:57 PM

    I guess it’s time some people started taking a look outside the box

    10
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    Mute Charliegrl80
    Favourite Charliegrl80
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:48 PM

    This has been going on for a few years now and its now only coming to light in this side of the world here are some links for information on the issues with the mesh.

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pelvic-organ-prolapse/in-depth/transvaginal-mesh-complications/art-20110300

    https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm479732.htm

    9
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    Mute Michael
    Favourite Michael
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    Nov 15th 2017, 6:20 PM

    No woman should have to through that operation. Seen an docermentery on it all full.my wife looked into no would I what her to.

    8
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    Mute Ranty McCrank
    Favourite Ranty McCrank
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    Nov 15th 2017, 8:16 PM

    Let me guess – no compensation will be paid by the company, the bill will be dumped on the tax payers. Just like the Hep C infected blood products from US companies who sourced some of their blood from prisoners. Fine Gael have absolutely no problem with any lobby group looking for money/ compensation/ redress. Just dump the bill on you the tax payers. Absolutely anything to harvest lobby group votes. After all we are an incredibly wealthy country – only €220 billion in public debt and God knows how much in private debt.

    6
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    Mute Father Hody Commody
    Favourite Father Hody Commody
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    Nov 15th 2017, 7:22 PM

    Let’s have another report

    3
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    Mute Paul Coughlan
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    Nov 15th 2017, 9:49 PM

    Simon Harris doesn’t have a clue on medical procedures so he’s following the long tradition in Irish politics that we need a report on the issue of causing harm to women through mesh implants. Leo the Varadkar as a doctor should know about this. Hello lads this is Joe public saying stop using this procedure. My advice costs nothing.

    3
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    Mute joan willms
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    Nov 15th 2017, 9:31 PM

    Had this mesh inserted over 10 years ago..no problems. Best decision ever.

    2
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    Mute joan willms
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    Nov 15th 2017, 9:34 PM

    Had this mesh inserted over 10 yrs ago. No problems..best decision

    2
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    Mute Catherine O'neill
    Favourite Catherine O'neill
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    Nov 16th 2017, 1:18 PM

    is there a story on bbc to night about the mesh and would you know what time.

    kmartoneill11@gmail.com

    1
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