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Mr Assange, who has been living inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for over six years, will continue as publisher.

The Ecuador Government decided over six months ago to cut off his communications and limit visits to members of his legal team.

He will be replaced as editor by Kristinn Hrafnsson, an Icelandic investigative journalist.

A WikiLeaks statement said: "Due to extraordinary circumstances where Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks has been held incommunicado (except visits by his lawyers) for six months while arbitrarily detained in the Ecuadorian embassy, Mr Assange has appointed Kristinn Hrafnsson Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks.