Assange's embassy saga nears end

WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE'S JOURNEY INTO ASYLUM:

* Julian Assange says he will accept arrest by British police if a UN body decides his three-and-a-half year confinement within the Ecuadorian embassy in central London has been lawful. If it is rules unlawful under international law, he says he expects his passport back and no further attempts to arrest him.

* Sweden has sought Mr Assange's extradition for questioning in relation to a 2010 sexual assault investigation - a matter in which he has denied allegations against him and has not been charged.

* The 44-year-old Australian was put in prison in December 2010 in the UK following Sweden issuing an arrest warrant, and was released to house arrest nine days later.

* Mr Assange entered the Ecuadorian embassy in July 2012 after Ecuador granted him political asylum due to his fears of extradition to Sweden and then to the United States for prosecution over WikiLeaks' release of thousands of sensitive US government and military documents, cables and videos. US Army Private Bradley Manning, now Chelsea Manning, was jailed for 35 years for her part in the release of documents to WikiLeaks.

* Mr Assange has appealed to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, a body which investigates whether states are meeting international obligations. In 2009 UNWGAD found Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi had been unlawfully kept under house arrest by the Burmese military.

* UNWGAD is expected to release its decision by midday on Friday in the UK, which will be 2300 AEDT.