WikiLeaks founder Assange must walk free: UN

The United Nations on Friday called on the Swedish and British authorities to end the captivity of Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks website.

Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London in December 2010, as a result of the legal action against him by both Governments.

In a public statement the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said, "The Working Group therefore requested Sweden and the United Kingdom to assess the situation of Mr. Assange to ensure his safety and physical integrity, to facilitate the exercise of his right to freedom of movement in an expedient manner, and to ensure the full enjoyment of his rights guaranteed by the international norms on detention. The Working Group also considered that the detention should be brought to an end and that Mr. Assange should be afforded the right to compensation."

The UK said it will formally contest the opinion, while Sweden said the panel had no right to 'interfere'.

The computer hacker, who founded the WikiLeaks, released 500,000 secret US military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and 250,000 diplomatic cables.