France refuses Julian Assange’s request for asylum — but WikiLeaks’ lawyers

France has rejected Julian Assange’s request for asylum, saying the Wikileaks founder who has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for three years did not face “immediate danger”. “Furthermore, he is subject to a European arrest warrant”,Hollande’s office said.

“My life is in danger,” Assange wrote in a letter to the Socialist president, which was published by Le Monde newspaper.

The palace said that France cannot act on the request “on account of the legal elements and material situation of Mr Assange”.

The Hollande’s office had earlier issued a statement, denying songs asylum request.

But Garzon said that, contrary to assertions from the Elysee Palace, the Australian’s defense team “wishes to state very clearly that Julian Assange has filed no request for asylum in France”.

Assange asked France for “the necessary protection” needed against his “political persecution”.

“If France decides to do it, I wouldn’t see anything shocking in that measure”, Taubira said, noting that French laws provide “protection for whistleblowers”. In his letter to Mr Hollande Mr Assange noted that WikiLeaks had last month revealed that the US National Security Agency spied on the French president and his two predecessors.

The charges were trumped up by a Swedish prosecutor either to silence Assange by jailing him for a lengthy period or to facilitate his extradition to the United States for trial and possible execution under the Espionage Act.

In it, he wrote: “By welcoming me, France would carry out a humanitarian and symbolic gesture, sending encouragement to every journalist and whistleblower”.

Ecuador granted Assange asylum after he said he feared further extradition to the USA, where he was wanted in connection with WikiLeaks’ publication of top secret diplomatic cables.