Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Assange seeks asylum at Ecuador embassy

Updated at 12:29 pm on 20 June 2012

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is seeking asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in Britain as he tries to avoid extradition on sexual assault allegations.

Ecuador is considering the asylum request and in the mean time Mr Assange will remain at the embassy at Knightsbridge in London, the embassy said.

Last week, Britain's Supreme Court rejected Mr Assange's request to appeal against an extradition order to Sweden.

A Swedish prosecutor wants to question him over allegations he sexually assaulted two women in August 2010.

His supporters say the charges are politically motivated and fear he could be extradited to the United States to face charges over the publication of leaked diplomatic cables, the ABC reports.

Wikileaks has published a mass of confidential cables that embarrassed several governments and international businesses.

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