Julian Assange has been spied on while living inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London - that's according to WikiLeaks.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) WIKILEAKS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, KRISTINN HRAFNSSON, SAYING: "The new and unexpected thing that just came in to light in the last few days is that WikiLeaks uncovered an extensive spying operation against Julian Assange within the Ecuadorean embassy.

It entails a total invasion of privacy of Mr Assange and what we have established is that security cameras were used to monitor his every move, his every meeting with visitors, and it included video recordings, photographs and audio recordings from various recorders inside the embassy." It comes just days after reports suggested Assange - who has been holed up at the embassy for seven years - was on the verge of being expelled.

Ecuador's foreign ministry denied that.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) WIKILEAKS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, KRISTINN HRAFNSSON, SAYING: "We also know that there was a request to hand over visitor's logs from the embassy and video recordings from within the security cameras in the embassy so we assume that this material, this extensive material that has been gathered, has been handed over to the Trump administration." WikiLeaks did not immediately give evidence for the claims and Reuters was unable to independently verify the allegations.

Assange's relations with his hosts have chilled since Ecuador accused him of leaking information about President Lenin Moreno's personal life.

Moreno said Assange violated the terms of his asylum.

To some, Assange is a hero for exposing what supporters cast as abuse of power by modern states and for championing free speech.

But to others, he is a dangerous rebel who has undermined the security of the United States.