According to the judgment of the International Court of Justice in Colombia v. Peru 1950 , Ecuador can legally grant asylum to Julian Assange, who is clearly not a common criminal, in its embassy in London (“The way forward in the Assange case,” Aug. 27). But what Ecuador cannot do is ensure his safe passage out of London. England, in exercise of its sovereignty, can arrest Mr. Assange if he steps out of the embassy.
Ecuador cannot grant permanent asylum to Mr. Assange in its embassy. The situation has reached a deadlock. Any move by either of the two parties will lead to a violation of international law.
Surabhi Kaushik,
Chandigarh
