Julian Assange (Photo: Pool/Reuters)

Let me say at the outset that I am generally sympathetic to the Wikileaks cause, and to Julian Assange as the preeminent actor in the business of leaking in the public interest.

But this latest ruling, advice, declaration, whatever from a UN panel, is utterly daft. Julian Assange is a fugitive, voluntarily residing at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London because he fears the consequences of being arrested and extradited to Sweden.  To charactise that as ‘arbitrary detention’ (or any kind of ‘detention’) makes no sense to me.  It serves only to reinforce the low opinion that many people hold of the UN, and weaken Julian Assange’s case in the Court of Public Opinion.

Am I missing something?