Julian Assange: After U.N. Finding, a Look Back at the Case

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arbitrarily detained by Britain and Sweden for more than five years, according to a United Nations rights panel, which said in a report on Friday that the two countries should restore his freedom of movement and compensate him. The working group found that: • His detention was arbitrary because of “a substantial failure to exercise due diligence” by both governments, in particular Swedish prosecutors; • Five years after issuing an arrest warrant, Swedish prosecutors had not still pressed charges; • Prosecutors didn’t show Mr. Assange the evidence collected against him or give him a chance to respond; • Prosecutors should have taken more seriously Mr. Assange’s fears of possible extradition to the United States.