UN Finds Julian Assange Is 'Arbitrarily Detained', But The Internet Heartily Disagrees

Twitter Is 'Arbitrarily Detained' By People Mocking The UN's Decision On Assange
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A UN panel's finding that WikiLeaks founder and Ecuadorian Embassy resident Julian Assange has been "arbitrarily detained" has been thoroughly ridiculed online.

This quickly prompted lawyers and other commentators to slam the finding's interpretation of human rights law. As one explained:

And people couldn't wait to help out.

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Assange speaks via video link on Friday

Assange is wanted for questioning over an alleged sex offence in Sweden, which he denies, and is fighting against extradition. He has not left the Ecuadorian Embassy in Knightsbridge, west London, since June 2012.

Speaking via video link from the embassy on Friday, Assange called this response "insulting". He added the UN decision was was a "vindication" and supposed wrongful detention was "now a matter of settled law".

After speaking for 10 minutes, Assange closed by saying: "I would like to say thank you, that I miss my family. That we have today a really significant victory that has brought a smile to my face and I hope many others as well."

The UK government has confirmed that it will formally contest the opinion of the UN panel.

In a statement the Foreign Office said: "This changes nothing. We completely reject any claim that Julian Assange is a victim of arbitrary detention. The UK has already made clear to the UN that we will formally contest the working group’s opinion."

Julian Assange
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Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks speaks on webcast from his asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London during a conference of western persecution at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, March 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Keystone, Sandro Campardo) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Julian Assange speaks remotely via a live feed at The 24th Annual PEN Center USA Literary Awards Festival at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP) (credit:Casey Curry/Invision/AP)
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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, top, appears via video link from London as international human rights lawyer Laila Harre, bottom left, Robert Amsterdam, second left, journalist and author Glenn Greenwald, second right, and Kim Dotcom, right, attend a political forum in Auckland, New Zealand, Town Hall, Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. Dotcom says he has not become politically active for his own sake, but in response to the New Zealanders who have supported him since his dramatic 2012 arrest, in which dozens of armed officers stormed his mansion. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald, Brett Phibbs) NEW ZEALAND OUT, AUSTRALIA OUT (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2014, file photo, Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, left, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speak during a news conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Whistleblower site WikiLeaks has put hundreds of thousands of emails and documents from last year's Sony hack into a searchable online archive. Assange says that its database includes more than 170,000 emails from Sony Pictures Entertainment and a subsidiary, plus more than 30,000 other documents. (John Stillwell/Pool Photo via AP, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks during a press conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he confirmed he "will be leaving the embassy soon", Monday Aug. 18, 2014. The Australian Assange fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sex crimes. (AP Photo / John Stillwell, POOL) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, left, looks on as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange holds a document up during a press conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he confirmed he "will be leaving the embassy soon", Monday Aug. 18, 2014. The Australian Assange fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sex crimes. (AP Photo / John Stillwell, POOL) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange during a press conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he confirmed he "will be leaving the embassy soon", Monday Aug. 18, 2014. The Australian Assange fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sex crimes. (AP Photo / John Stillwell, POOL) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, left, shakes hands with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after a press conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Monday Aug. 18, 2014, where Assange confirmed he "will be leaving the embassy soon". The Australian Assange fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sex crimes. (AP Photo / John Stillwell, POOL) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks during a press conference inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he confirmed he "will be leaving the embassy soon", Monday Aug. 18, 2014. The Australian Assange fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sex crimes. (AP Photo / John Stillwell, POOL) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Fugitive WikLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks via Skype at the South By SouthWest Interactive festival in Austin, Texas, Saturday, March 8, 2014. Assange's appearance underscores the increasing attention that the technology industry is paying to issues of online privacy, security and surveillance. (AP Photo/Barbara Ortutay) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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In this photo taken on Friday, June 14, 2013, Julian Assange speaks to the media inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London ahead of the first anniversary of his arrival there on June 19, 2012. A year ago, Julian Assange skipped out on a date with Swedish justice. Rather than comply with a British order that he go to the Scandinavian country for questioning about sex-crimes allegations, the WikiLeaks founder took refuge in Ecuador's London embassy. (AP Photo/ Anthony Devlin, Pool) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, left, appears with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for a year, after the UK Supreme Court refused his appeal against extradition. Assange is wanted in Sweden for sexual assault allegations by two women, claims which he denies. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, left, appears with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London for a year, after the UK Supreme Court refused his appeal against extradition. Assange is wanted in Sweden for sexual assault allegations by two women, claims which he denies. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, file photo, Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks speaks to the media and members of the public from a balcony at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange (over live video) will make an appearance this year at the South By Southwest Interactive Festival, illustrating how the festival is trying to balance holding on to its independent roots even as itâs flooded by a barrage of corporate sponsors and threatens to grow too big for its hometown. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange waves to supporters after he made a statement to the media and supporters at a balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in central London, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Assange marked six months since he took refuge at the embassy on June 20 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces allegations of sex crimes, which he denies. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)