- Assange tells reporters he plans to leave embassy "soon"
- Reported to be in poor health and needing hospital
- Has been holed up in Ecuadorian embassy for two years
- Wanted in Sweden over rape allegations
From the press conference
The Ecuadorian foreign minister began Monday's press conference on Monday by stating that Assange should be released.
"It's time to free Julian Assange, it's time for his human rights to be respected," he told reporters.
When the Australian WikiLeaks founder took to the microphone, he stressed that he still has not been charged over the rape allegations from Sweden.
Following two years in the Ecuadorian embassy, British media reported that the Australian would hand himself over to police on Monday.
Patino accused the British government of violating Assange's human rights, during an interview published by The Guardian newspaper on Sunday.
"We have made proposals, we have submitted documents, and all we have seen on the part of the British government is an increase in security to make sure Julian Assange does not leave the embassy, but there has been no political will or any steps taken towards a diplomatic solution to this," he told the paper.
"Everyone around the world knows that the rights of Julian Assange have been violated."
Assange has been in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations of rape and sexual molestation – which Assange has denied.
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