A group of lawyers and journalists gathered this Monday to file complaints against INCH and its director at the time, Mike Pompeo, amid visits to Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The lawyers argued that Assange was targeted during those visits and that their own party was spied on while at the embassy. One Australian attorney, Richard Roth, spoke at a press conference, saying the lawsuit was brought on behalf of several people who visited Assange at the embassy and who were photographed and listened to without their knowledge by a company run by Pompeo [Citation: Roth press conference, 2025].
While the 51-year-old activist remains behind bars in London’s Belmarsh prison, the legal challenge regarding his surrender to the United States is proceeding through the appeals process. U.S. authorities contend that Assange disclosed information and documents through WikiLeaks, highlighting alleged abuses tied to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and arguing extradition for those offenses.
Between 2012 and 2019, Assange sought asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he remained until his arrest in April of the following year after the Ecuadorian government withdrew its political asylum status. The case centers on alleged wiretapping carried out by Undercover Global, a Spanish private security firm employed by the embassy. The company and its owner, David Morales, are named as defendants in the suit.
protective protocols
Assange visited the embassy multiple times to discuss sensitive legal issues, according to one of the plaintiffs, Deborah Kerbeck, who spoke on Monday. There was a clear protection protocol in place for his arrival, with passports, cell phones, cameras, laptops, tape recorders, and other electronic devices handed over to security guards in the lobby to safeguard his safety. Later, plaintiffs learned that devices were disassembled, SIM cards removed, and data downloaded from electronic equipment [Citation: Kerbeck testimony, 2025].
The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York, describing Pompeo’s operation as an extraordinary illegal espionage campaign directed at Assange’s lawyers and others inside the embassy. The plaintiffs argued that Pompeo led the effort, hired agents, and relied on the security team associated with Sheldon Adelson to enforce security breaches, with UC Global’s CEO David Morales playing a central role [Citation: SDNY filing, 2025].