QUITO, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The government of Ecuador has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has been living in its embassy in London since 2012, Ecuadorian foreign minister confirmed on Thursday.

Assange "requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs his naturalization on September 16, 2017," Maria Fernanda Espinosa said at a press conference.

She said Assange made the request based on the fact that he has remained as an internationally protected person for five and a half years under the jurisdiction of Ecuador in its London embassy.

For this reason, Espinoza added, "this naturalization was granted on December 12, 2017" by the Ecuadorian government.

The former Australian has been staying in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since he was granted asylum in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over rape allegations which Assange denies. Enditem