WikiLeaks co-founder, Julian Assange, who has been in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since June, is suffering from serious lung problems, according to the Ecuadorian Embassy.
Ambassador Ana Alban of the Andean Community said, "He has a chronic lung complaint that could get worse any time. The Ecuadorean state is covering Mr Assange's medical costs and we have arranged for regular doctor visits to check on his health," as reported by Reuters.
Earlier this month, Assange reiterated he will not leave the embassy, where he has claimed refuge, until the U.S. terminates its pursuit against him.
"I think we need the U.S. government to drop its investigation . . .it's an immoral investigation...It breaches the First Amendment. It breaches all the principles that the United States government says that it stands for and it absolutely breaches the principles that the U.S. founding fathers stood for and which most of the U.S. people believe in," said Assange according to Yahoo News.
Assange faces extradition to Sweden where he faces allegations of sexual assault and rape, but Assange and his supporters maintain that the allegations are merely part of a political conspiracy to transfer him to the U.S., where he will be tried for revealing State secrets through his whistleblower website - Wikileaks.
Assange was served with a subpoena by the London police from the U.S. that charges him with espionage.
In June the Ecuadorian Embassy in London granted the 40-year-old asylum when he defied a British High Court decision to be extradited to Sweden.
Assage laid out a condition that he was willing to be extradited to Sweden where he faces charges of rape and sexual assault, in return for diplomatic guarantee that he will not be sent to the U.S. over Wikileaks revelations. However, as confirmed by Assange's lawyers, the U.S. has instigated a grand jury against the WikiLeaks co-founder, and therefore he will remain in the Ecuadorian Embassy resisting arrest.
Susan Benn from the Julian Assange Defense Fund told BBC News, ''Julian will remain in the embassy under the protection of the Ecuadorian government," while his application for asylum in Ecuador is being processed.
Upon being denied appeal for extradition earlier this month, Assange was released on a $316,000 bail, which was paid off by many high-profile supporters.
Assange denies all allegations of rape and assault and claims they are politically motivated.
Wikipedia founder Richard O'Dawyer has also started a petition to fight Assange's extradition charges.
Julian Assange rose to fame in 2010 when he leaked a number of US diplomatic cables and videos regarding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan through his co-founded online organization Wikileaks. The organization stirred great derision from Washington and other countries whose secrets were divulged. Assange and his team argue that there is foul play in the alleged sex crimes allegations and that these accusations are sponsored by a number of upset politicians.
