Ecuador grants citizenship to Assange

Ecuador has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has spent years living in the country’s embassy in London amid concerns of arrest and extradition.

According to The Associated Press, the Ecuadorian government made the decision as it tries to resolve his situation in the United Kingdom.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that Assange’s name appeared in Ecuador’s Civil Registry, a database including only Ecuadorian citizens.

Also on Wednesday, Assange posted a photo of himself wearing a jersey for the Ecuadorian Football Federation.

pic.twitter.com/LB5jzQmJLb

— Julian Assange ⌛ (@JulianAssange) January 10, 2018

Ecuador granted Assange asylum in 2012 after he took refuge in the country’s embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault. 

{mosads}Swedish law enforcement officials dropped the sexual assault investigation into Assange last year, but British authorities have said that they will still arrest him if he leaves the embassy. 

According to the AP, the British government said Thursday that it would not grant diplomatic status to Assange.