A United Nations panel has ruled that Britain and Sweden should pay compensation to WikiLeaks activist Julian Assange for what it characterizes as his “arbitrary detention.” Assange has been hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid arrest by the British authorities and extradition to Sweden for questioning over an alleged sexual assault, which he denies. The UN panel says that his self-imposed exile effectively means Assange is being held arbitrarily. The panel’s decision is not binding, but the British government said it would appeal.
