France denies Julian Assange's asylum plea

French president François Hollande's office have swiftly rejected an appeal from Wikileaks-founder Julian Assange after he appealed for political asylum in France in an open letter published today in national daily Le Monde.

Last month Wikileaks published information which revealed that the US tapped the phones of three consecutive French presidents including Hollande. The government and opposition parties voiced their shock at the revelations with nationalist Front National Leader Marine Le Pen saying that she did not consider the US an ally or friend of France.

Assange's website first published leaked details of classified US military and diplomatic documents five years ago and has continued to publish sensitive material leaked from various governments. He has spent the last three years in London's Ecuadorian embassy after he sought refuge there, having been accused of rape and sexual assault in Sweden. Assange has said that if he goes to Sweden to face the charges he fears he will be extradited to the US where he claims he may face the death penalty.

In his letter, Assange praised the outraged reaction in France to the recent revelations and asked Hollande to welcome him in a "humanitarian gesture", mentioning several times that he believed his life to be in danger. Assange claimed that if the French authorities grant him asylum it would send a symbolic message to journalists all over the world who "risk their lives on a daily basis".

"I am a journalist who has been persecuted and threatened with death by the US authorities because of my professional activities," Assange wrote. "My life is in danger right now, Mr President and my physical as well as psychological integrity is at more risk with every passing day."

Highlighting that today was his birthday, the Wikileaks founder added that he had personal ties with France, namely that his youngest child and its mother are French. He did not name them but said that he had not seen either of them in five years in order to ensure their safety. "The present situation causes them immense difficulty," Assange wrote.

About an hour after the letter appeared online the Élysée published a response saying that "France has received the letter from Mr. Assange" but could not grant his request.

"Mr Assange's situation does not present any immediate danger. He is also the subject of a European arrest warrant," the statement published on the president's site said.