WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Shut Down In Plea To Leave Prison To Attend Vivienne Westwood's Funeral

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange requested permission to leave prison to attend the funeral of his late friend, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. The designer's family revealed that his request was denied, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Westwood, famous for introducing the punk aesthetic to the high fashion world, passed on December 29 at the age of 81.

The fashion designer's family said they were "deeply disappointed that we were unable to fulfill Vivienne's wishes but are unsurprised by the decision which is unjust and in keeping with the inhumane treatment he has received from the UK authorities up to this point."

The family added that they continue to stand by Assange.

In April 2019, Assange was arrested in London for changes he faced in the U.S., which alleged he conspired to hack into the Pentagon's computer system in 2010. Since his arrest, Assange has remained in custody at London's high-security Belmarsh Prison, as he awaited extradition to the United States.

"Julian has not been convicted of any crime, yet he is treated as if he is a terrorist, the only thing he is guilty of is publishing the truth," the family said.

Assange and Westwood's friendship began at Assange's 40th birthday party when the two were first introduced to each other.

Since the meeting, Westwood and Assange remained close friends. The pair kept in touch, even when Assange sought asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy from 2012 to 2019, where Westwood would regularly visit him.

Even after his arrest by U.K. officials in 2019, Westwood continued to support her friend and advocate for his innocence.

During a July 2020 protest against Assange's extradition to the U.S., Westwood put on a show. The punk designer dressed in canary yellow and suspended herself from inside a human-sized birdcage outside of the Old Bailey in a symbolic demonstration of his detainment.

Westwood continued to keep in touch with Assange up until the final weeks of her life.

Assange's wife, Stella, told the Daily Mail that the designer informed Assange of her declining health so he would not be shocked by the news.

"She had reached out to tell Julian and me she was very poorly so her death was not unexpected," Stella recalled. "It was about a month ago. It was very hard on him as he had not seen her since that prison visit in 2019."