WikiLeaks sues to unseal any charges against founder Assange

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WASHINGTON (AP) — WikiLeaks says it is seeking to force the Trump administration to unseal any charges in the U.S. filed against founder Julian Assange.

WikiLeaks says in a statement Wednesday that a legal challenge filed with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights in Washington also asks Ecuador to protect Assange from extradition to the U.S.

Assange has been staying in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 under a grant of asylum and has long expressed fear of a U.S. prosecution.

U.S. prosecutors inadvertently mentioned charges under seal against Assange in an unrelated case. The Associated Press has since reported that Assange is indeed facing unspecified charges under seal.

WikiLeaks has facilitated the release of thousands of classified U.S. military and diplomatic cables.