Quito, June 19 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño told reporters on Thursday that Sweden is violating Julian Assange's human rights by delaying for over three years its decision on whether to approve Ecuador’s proposal to allow the WikiLeaks' founder to testify from the Embassy of Ecuador in London.

“The delay of Swedish justice to accept Ecuador's proposal means they have violated Julian Assange's human rights for three consecutive years,” he reiterated. Patiño said someone will have to answer at some point to this gross violation of human rights. He also added that Sweden's request to the Ecuadorean government last week – that it carry out judicial proceedings in regards to Assange at its embassy in London – was in response to the European country's concern that the statute of limitations in Assange's case is about to expire. The South American country's government said it would consider Sweden's request.

“The Ecuadorean authorities are presently evaluating this request in the spirit of judicial cooperation, a characteristic of the government of Ecuador, and as part of the obligations and powers under International Law while taking into account Ecuadorian jurisdiction in regard to the asylee,” the South American government said in a statement on its website.

But Patiño said that he believes this request proves that Swedish officials could have accepted Ecuador's proposal to let Assange testify when it was first presented three years ago. Instead, he added, Sweden opted for a more uncompromising position.

On Wednesday, Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny canceled her appointment to interview Assange, in a move he characterized as “reckless.” Ny was due to visit the embassy to take Assange’s statement, four-and-a-half years after he was detained. This Friday marks three years of Assange living at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.