Julian Assange is living in 'conditions akin to a political dissident in Stasi-era Germany' as supporters raise fears about his residency at the Ecuadorian embassy.

A visitor of the WikiLeaks founder claimed she had her phone checked and all of their conversations recorded during trip to see him in London.

American friend and political commentator Cassandra Fairbanks said going to the embassy was 'more invasive than visiting someone in a federal penitentiary'.

She said the pair were forced to 'pass notes' amid fears that their conversations were being taped by the Ecuadorians 'under pressure from the US'.

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Julian Assange speaks to the media from the balcony of the Embassy Of Ecuador in 2017

American friend and political commentator Cassandra Fairbanks (pictured) said going to the embassy was 'more invasive than visiting someone in a federal penitentiary'

Writing for the Gateway Pundit, she added: After saying hello, we tried to go to another room with less surveillance so we could speak more openly.

'Within minutes, a member of the staff at the embassy came knocking on the door and demanded that we go back.

'As we walked through the hall, I noticed that there was no angle that wasn't being recorded by a forest of menacingly Orwellian black cameras.

'Currently, Assange cannot even have a simple visit with a friend without it being monitored by some shadowy state actor.

'Unable to speak privately, even with a noise machine attempting to muffle the microphones from picking up conversations, we resorted to passing notes.'

She said that Assange was in 'good spirits' despite being 'efforts from the US and Ecuador to make his life a living hell'.

Fairbanks (shown) said the pair were forced to 'pass notes' amid fears that their conversations were being taped by the Ecuadorians 'under pressure from the US'.

Assange, 47, has been holed up under asylum inside the embassy (pictured) since 2012 when he was accused of sexual assault by two women in Sweden

It comes as a legal defence fund was launched for Assange amid fears that the is under 'increasingly serious threat'.

The Courage Foundation, which offers legal support for whistleblowers, said Assange had become 'isolated' inside the embassy building.

Assange, 47, has been holed up under asylum inside the embassy since 2012 when he was accused of sexual assault by two women in Sweden.

The Australian denied their claims but refused to travel to Sweden to face them, saying it was part of a ruse to extradite him to the US due to his involvement in the leaking of a huge amount of classified documents in 2010.

The Courage Foundation now claims his expulsion from the embassy may be imminent, putting him at risk of extradition to the United States.

Mr Assange has long maintained the he faces charges under seal in the US for revealing highly sensitive government information on his website.

While the exact charges against Assange remain unclear, WikiLeaks has served as a vehicle for release of thousands of classified US military and diplomatic cables.