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The extraordinary threat by the United Kingdom to revoke the diplomatic protection of the Ecuadorian embassy so that they can arrest Julian Assange is without precedent in modern history and could end up before the international courts, according to an academic from The Australian National University. Professor Donald Rothwell from the ANU College of Law said that the threat shows just how serious the UK is about extraditing the WikiLeaks founder to Sweden. "The threat by the United Kingdom to invoke the provisions of the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 (UK) to revoke the diplomatic protection enjoyed by the Ecuadorian Embassy in London is extraordinary and without modern precedent. It highlights how serious the United Kingdom Government is about extraditing Assange to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over sexual assault," said Professor Rothwell. "The Ecuadorian Embassy enjoys protection under Article 22 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which precludes the United Kingdom authorities from entering the Embassy without consent. Assange has enjoyed the protection of the embassy since he sought asylum there on 19 June 2012. "If the United Kingdom revoked the Embassy's diplomatic protection and entered the Embassy to arrest Assange, Ecuador could rightly view this as a significant violation of international law which may find its way before an international court." Professor Rothwell added that whatever happens next, the prospects for Assange finding safe haven appear to rapidly diminishing.
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