Julian Assange has been replaced as editor in chief of Wikileaks, according to the online publisher.
Former spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson, an Icelandic investigative journalist, will take over the role.
“I condemn the treatment of Julian Assange that leads to my new role,” Hrafnsson said in a statement, according to a Daily Dot report, an online publication that covers internet culture. “But I welcome the opportunity to secure the continuation of the important work based on WikiLeaks ideals.”
Assange, 47, founded Wikileaks in 2006 but has been isolated in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 to avoid being arrested over sexual assault allegations.
WikiLeaks noted that while Assange will stay on as its publisher.
{mosads}Six months ago, Assange had all communications from the embassy cut by Ecuador’s newly-elected president, Lenín Moreno.
Wikileaks slammed the move, calling it an illegal effort to censor Assange’s opinion.
“Ecuador’s Moreno confirms he (illegally) isolated Assange to censor his opinion on U.S. and Spain,” reads a Thursday tweet from Wikleaks’ official Twitter account.
Earlier this month, the FBI indicated that Russian military intelligence handed over emails to Wikileaks accessed from John Podesta, who served as Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to The Associated Press. Democrats argue Wikileaks played a key role in turning the election to Republican nominee Donald Trump.
It was also reported that Assange attempted to obtain a Russian visa in 2010.
“I, Julian Assange, hereby grant full authority to my friend, Israel Shamir, to both drop off and collect my passport, in order to get a visa,” said a letter obtained by the AP written by Assange in Nov. 2010.