Julian Assange’s Internet Connection Cut by Ecuador: WikiLeaks

The WikiLeaks founder is still under protection of Ecuador as the country’s foreign minister stated.

Julian Assange has been holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London since 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

Anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said on Monday that its founder Julian Assange's internet was shut down by the government of Ecuador, deflecting blame from the US or British governments which have sparred with Assange for releasing sensitive material.

"We can confirm Ecuador cut off Assange's internet access on Saturday, 5 pm GMT, shortly after publication of (Hillary) Clinton's Goldman Sachs speeches (sic)," the statement from WikiLeaks said.

WikiLeaks said Assange lost internet connectivity on Sunday night.

"We have activated the appropriate contingency plans," added the Twitter message on Monday. People close to WikiLeaks say that Assange himself is the principal operator of the website's Twitter feed.

The Ecuadoran government offered no immediate comment on the question of internet access, but the country’s foreign minister, Guillaume Long, said Assange remained under government protection.

The circumstances that led to the granting of asylum remain.

Guillaume Long

The government of Leftist President Rafael Correa has long backed Assange's right to free speech, though the Wikileaks saga has caused some strain in relations with the United States, including the expulsion of diplomats in 2011.

"For the good of the United States and the world... I would like Hillary to win," Correa told broadcaster Russia Today last month.

Over the last two weeks, Democratic Party officials and US government agencies have accused the Russian government, including the country's "senior-most officials," of pursuing a campaign of cyber attacks against Democratic Party organisations ahead of the election.

WikiLeaks has been one of the most prominent internet outlets to post and promote hacked Democratic Party materials.

Sources close to both the Democratic Party and WikiLeaks say they believe WikiLeaks has acquired as many as 40,000-50,000 emails hacked from the personal accounts of John Podesta, the former White House advisor, who now chairs Clinton’s presidential campaign.

Despite Assange's complaint that his internet connection was cut, WikiLeaks posted on Monday afternoon what it said was a fresh batch of Podesta's emails.

According to a summary of the latest emails posted on Russia Today, a media outlet with close links to the Russian government, highlights include campaign staff discussions about "galvanising Latino support" and about how to handle media queries about Clinton's "flip-flopping" on gay marriage.