The Bedroom Question: Assange's Private Space Explored

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012. Assange entered the embassy and claimed asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced allegations of sexual assault and rape. If extradited to Sweden, Assange feared he would be sent to the US to face charges for releasing classified documents. Assange's room in the embassy has been described as a small office converted into living quarters, with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and a small kitchenette.

Julian Assange's makeshift bedroom in the Ecuadorian Embassy

In 2012, Julian Assange entered the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and remained there for almost seven years. Assange was wanted for questioning over a 2010 rape allegation in Sweden and feared that he would be extradited to the US over WikiLeaks' release of 500,000 secret military files.

Assange's room in the embassy was tiny, measuring only 4.6 by 4 meters. He had a single mattress lying on the floor, which he claimed to make "clumsily". Assange's room was divided into an office and a living area. He had a treadmill, a shower, a microwave, a sun lamp, and a small en-suite kitchen. Assange spent most of his day at his computer, working a claimed 17-hour day. He also had a round conference table for meeting journalists and colleagues. Assange's bedroom behaviour was the subject of much debate, with some reporting that he had trashed" his room and exhibited discourteous and aggressive behaviour.

In addition to the basic amenities, Assange's room was filled with books, films, and other entertainment. He had a Spanish dictionary, a book about Guantánamo, and various films and TV shows, including "The West Wing" and "The Twilight Zone". Assange also had a cat for company, which had its own Twitter account.

The room was recreated by artists Carmen Weisskopf and Domagoj Smoljo, who visited Assange at the embassy in 2013. The replica was displayed at the FACT art centre in Liverpool and included many details about Assange's life, such as a gas mask and oxygen tank supplied by the embassy in case of a gas or bomb attack.

Assange's mental health and night terrors

Julian Assange's mental health has been a cause for concern during his time in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He has been described as suffering from "evident anger", which has caused friction with embassy staff. Ecuadorian papers advised that his access to alcohol should be limited and his mental health monitored.

Assange's small office room, converted into living quarters, included a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and a small kitchenette. He has been living in this confined space since June 2012, when he entered the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over a rape allegation, which he denies.

During his time in the embassy, Assange has experienced night terrors, shouting during the night. He has also acted erratically, at one point entering an off-limits control room and scuffling with a guard. Another incident involved an enormous bookshelf in his room being knocked over and smashed. These incidents have added to concerns about his mental health.

Assange has compared living inside the embassy to life on a space station. He has limited freedom of movement and is confined to a highly regulated interior. He has expressed frustration at the "absurdly oppressive police presence" outside.

The isolation and stress of his situation have undoubtedly impacted Assange's mental health, and it is unclear if he has received adequate support or treatment during his time in the embassy.

The embassy staff, who Assange says are like family

In an interview, Julian Assange described the staff at the Ecuadorian embassy as "like family". He said: "We've gone through a lot together and we understand we are all in this together. Some staff have been here nearly 20 years. We have lunch together, celebrate people's birthdays and other details I don't want to go into because of the security situation."

Assange lived in the embassy for almost seven years, from June 2012 until his arrest in April 2019. During this time, he shared a small office room converted into living quarters, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer with internet connection, shower, treadmill, and a small kitchenette. He also had a conference table for meeting journalists and colleagues.

Assange's living situation was far from ordinary, and he compared it to life on a space station. He was unable to leave the embassy due to the risk of arrest and extradition to Sweden, and potentially the US, over allegations of sexual assault and the release of classified documents. Despite the unusual circumstances, Assange tried to maintain a sense of normalcy by celebrating birthdays with the embassy staff and even adopting a cat for company.

Assange's relationship with the staff was not always smooth, however. Leaked documents revealed that Assange's "evident anger" had caused friction with embassy staff members. There were also concerns about his mental health, with reports of night terrors and an incident where a bookshelf in his room was knocked over and smashed. Despite these challenges, Assange considered the embassy staff as a source of support during his time in confinement.

Celebrity supporters who have visited Assange

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has had several celebrity supporters over the years. Here are some notable figures who have visited or expressed support for Assange:

Patti Smith: The iconic musician and poet was listed as a participant in an event celebrating whistleblowers, marking Assange's fifth year at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Brian Eno: The influential musician and producer was also listed as a participant in the event celebrating whistleblowers.

PJ Harvey: The renowned musician and songwriter was another participant in the event, showing her support for Assange.

Noam Chomsky: The prominent linguist and political activist has been a vocal supporter of Assange, demanding that he be allowed to walk free.

Yanis Varoufakis: The Greek economist and former government official has also been a vocal supporter, calling for Assange's freedom.

Ai Weiwei: The renowned Chinese artist and activist was among the prominent voices demanding Assange's release.

Michael Moore: The acclaimed documentary filmmaker and political activist has also supported Assange, calling for his freedom.

Ken Loach: The veteran filmmaker has advocated for Assange, criticising the British legal system for keeping him in isolation. Loach also donated a running machine to Assange.

Vivienne Westwood: The famous fashion designer was listed as a participant in the event celebrating whistleblowers, showing her support for Assange.

These individuals, among others, have publicly expressed their support for Julian Assange, often calling for his freedom and criticising his treatment by authorities.

Attempts to smuggle Assange out of the embassy

In 2019, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested by UK police after living in Ecuador's embassy in London for almost seven years. During his time at the embassy, there were various attempts to help him escape the UK.

One idea, proposed by Alex Barker of the Financial Times, was for Assange to be smuggled out of the embassy in a diplomatic bag. This plan was ultimately dismissed, as officials knew that police outside had "advanced technology that can detect body heat". Another plan involved granting Assange diplomatic immunity by making him Ecuador's representative to the United Nations, but this too was deemed impractical as "the British police can be found in all the routes that would allow Assange to take a diplomatic car".

Other more creative plans included having Assange "leave in fancy dress", escape across the rooftops to a nearby helipad, or "get lost among the people" in the nearby Harrods department store. Even Russia considered helping Assange escape, with diplomats holding secret talks in 2017 to discuss the possibility of smuggling him out of the embassy and transporting him to either Russia or Ecuador. This operation was ultimately deemed too risky and was terminated.

Despite these various attempts, none of the plans to smuggle Assange out of the embassy came to fruition. He was eventually arrested and taken into custody after Ecuador revoked his asylum, citing "repeated violations of international conventions and daily-life protocols".

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