Assange appeals to UK to drop arrest warrant

A court decision is due today on whether a UK arrest warrant against Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder, is still valid as he sets out a fresh bid for his freedom.

He has been living inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for over six years following a sex assault case brought by the Swedish prosecutors. Those investigations have now been dropped, so Mr Assange maintains the arrest warrant is no longer valid.

His lawyers made an application at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month for the UK warrant to be withdrawn, saying it had “lost its purpose and its function”.