The U.K. is denying safe passage to Julian Assange, despite the asylum granted to him by Ecuador. The Ecuadorian government says it may appeal to the ICC.

Ecuador granted asylum to Julian Assange on August 16. Immediately prior to this, the U.K. government warned that should he receive asylum, it would deny him safe passage from the U.K. to Ecuador.

Since Ecuador officially granted asylum to Assange, the U.K. government has reiterated that it will not grant him safe passage out of the country and that Assange is still liable for arrest and onward extradition to Sweden for questioning on sexual charges. However, according to Ecuadorian presidential staff adviser, Alexis Mera, Ecuador will pursue every legal means to bring Julian Assange to Ecuador.

Mera attended a cabinet meeting with President Rafael Correa and other ministers on Friday in Liba. El Commercio quoted Mera as saying, "We are open to discuss with Britain the solution to this problem, and if there is no diplomatic solution, we may resort to the International Court of Justice."

He said that if British police were to enter the Ecuadorian embassy, "It would be terrible and an attack on all international rights." On Thursday, Baltasar Garzón, the head of Assange’s legal team said that any attempt by the U.K. to block Assange’s safe passage to Ecuador would be subject to an ICC appeal.

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