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Embassy of Ecuador, London

Coordinates: 51°29′56″N 0°09′41″W / 51.4990°N 0.1614°W / 51.4990; -0.1614
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Embassy of Ecuador in London
Map
LocationKnightsbridge, London
Address3 Hans Crescent, London, SW1
Coordinates51°29′56″N 0°09′41″W / 51.4990°N 0.1614°W / 51.4990; -0.1614
AmbassadorJaime Marchan-Romero

The Embassy of Ecuador in London is the diplomatic mission of Ecuador in the United Kingdom.[1] It is headed by the ambassador of Ecuador to the United Kingdom. It is located in the Knightsbridge area of London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is in an apartment building which also houses the Embassy of Colombia as well as a number of residential apartments, near Harrods, Hyde Park, and Hans Place, at 3 Hans Crescent[2] at the intersection with Basil Street, and it is close to Knightsbridge Underground station.[3]

For almost seven years the embassy was home to the Australian activist and journalist Julian Assange, who initially entered on 19 June 2012 claiming diplomatic asylum,[4][5][6] which was granted by the Ecuadorian government on 16 August 2012. He had absconded in breach of bail after dismissal of his appeal by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.[5][7][8]

Functions

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The embassy is charged with representing the interests of the president and government of Ecuador, improving diplomatic relations between Ecuador and the accredited countries, promoting and improving the image and standing of Ecuador in the accredited nations, promoting the culture of Ecuador, encouraging and facilitating tourism to and from Ecuador, and ensuring the safety of Ecuadorians abroad.

The structure that houses the embassy is a white stucco-fronted red-brick building on Hans Crescent in the Knightsbridge area of London. The embassy is a suite of rooms occupying part of the ground floor of the building, which is an apartment block.[5]

Ecuador also maintains a consulate at 144-146 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9DU[9] and an Office of the Naval Assistant and Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization at 61 Wimbledon Hill Road, Wimbledon, London.[1]

Julian Assange's refuge (2012–2019)

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Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in August 2012

The co-founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, was a resident of the embassy for seven years after entering it on 19 June 2012 to claim diplomatic asylum after being wanted by Swedish authorities for questioning over four alleged sexual offences.[4][5][6] Assange's asylum request was eventually granted by the Ecuadorian government in August 2012.[5][7][8] The Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in May 2017, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case.[10]

The British government had suggested it could use its discretionary powers under the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 to enter the embassy and arrest Assange[6] after giving the embassy due notice. However, it later retracted the suggestion, following condemnation from Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño and President Rafael Correa.[11] Patiño described the British government's statement as "a clear breach of international law and the protocols set out in the Vienna Convention."[12]

Press outside the embassy in August 2012

On 16 August 2012, police and protesters gathered outside the embassy, with reports of minor scuffles between the two groups and arrests of some of the protesters.[13] On 19 August 2012, Assange made a speech from a low[14] balcony of the embassy.[15] Assange's remarks were prefaced by a statement from Baltasar Garzón, who headed his legal team.[15] This was followed by protests in Ecuador outside the British embassy in Quito, as well as support for Correa's approval of the asylum request.[11]

On 22 August 2012, the Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa stated that Assange would be allowed to stay in the embassy indefinitely, but that Ecuador would be open to negotiations with the British government if it withdrew its threats to storm the embassy.[16][17]

In August 2014, Assange called a press conference and announced he would be leaving the embassy "soon".[18]

Press photographs taken outside the embassy were reported to have shown police notes stating that Assange was to be arrested "under all circumstances".[19] The policing of the embassy during the first two years of Assange's stay reportedly cost £6.5 million.[20] Before the police guard was lifted in February 2015, costs of policing Assange had reached £10 million.[21]

The Guardian revealed in May 2018 that Ecuador had employed an international security company for more than five years to monitor Assange's visitors.[22]

On 3 April 2019, WikiLeaks claimed that the Ecuadorian embassy would expel Assange within a few hours or days but Jose Valencia, Foreign Minister of Ecuador called it a rumour. Two days later the statements of Assange's departure came after the Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno accused Assange of repeatedly violating the terms of asylum.[23] On 11 April 2019, Assange was arrested by British authorities who were invited into the embassy by the Ecuadorian government.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The London Diplomatic List" (PDF). 7 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Misiones de Colombia en el Exterior: Reino Unido" (in Spanish). Colombia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  3. ^ "3 Hans Crescent". Google Maps. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  4. ^ a b John Paul Rathbone (15 August 2012). "Assuaging Assange". Financial Times. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e Neuman, William; Ayala, Maggy (16 August 2012). "Ecuador Grants Asylum to Assange, Defying Britain". New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  6. ^ a b c "Julian Assange: UK issues 'threat' to arrest Wikileaks founder". BBC News. 15 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Julian Assange: Ecuador grants Wikileaks founder asylum". BBC News Online. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  8. ^ a b Declaración del Gobierno de la República del Ecuador sobre la solicitud de asilo de Julian Assange Archived 17 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
  9. ^ "Embassy of Ecuador in London » Important Notice: The Consulate of Ecuador in London has a new home". Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  10. ^ Addley, Esther; Travis, Alan (19 May 2017). "Swedish prosecutors drop Julian Assange rape investigation". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Ecuadorians rally behind Assange asylum bid". Al Jazeera. 21 August 2012.
  12. ^ Hastings, Rob; PA (16 August 2012). "British government 'threat to enter Ecuadorian embassy and arrest Julian Assange'". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Assange: Fighting Erupts Outside Embassy". Sky News. 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  14. ^ "Julian Assange, the balcony Bolívar of Knightsbridge". The Guardian. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  15. ^ a b "Julian Assange statement at Ecuadorean embassy - live". The Guardian. 19 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  16. ^ "Ecuador says Julian Assange can stay at embassy indefinitely". The Daily Telegraph. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  17. ^ Jonathan Watts (22 August 2012). "Julian Assange sex claims not a crime in Latin America – Ecuador president". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  18. ^ "Julian Assange claims to be soon leaving Ecuadorian embassy in London". Big News Network. 18 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  19. ^ Damien Pearse (24 August 2012). "Julian Assange arrest plan revealed accidentally". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  20. ^ "Policing Assange Embassy Has Cost £6.5m". LBC News. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  21. ^ "Julian Assange: Costs of policing Wikileaks founder reach £10m". BBC News. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  22. ^ Collyns, Dan; Kirchgaessner, Stephanie; Harding, Luke (15 May 2018). "Revealed: Ecuador spent millions on spy operation for Julian Assange". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  23. ^ "Ecuador says WikiLeaks claim of Assange's expulsion is false". United Press International. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  24. ^ "Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange arrested". BBC News. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
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