Mr Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than three years and has been granted political asylum by the Ecuador government.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange filed a complaint against Sweden and the UK in September 2014 to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention alleging that he has been unlawfully detained.
Mr Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than three years and has been granted political asylum by the Ecuador government.
He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over a sex assault allegation, which he has always denied.
He believes if he goes to Sweden he will be transported to the United States to be quizzed over the activities of WikiLeaks.
Speaking to SBS in 2013 Mr Assange expressed his concerns about possibly being transported to the US.
"The government and people of Ecuador have stood up to the plate and granted me asylum. Any future process will be within that context of a state having already granted political asylum over this very issue. They are not going to have an easy time of it. It's clear from their behaviour that they're going to pursue the matter as much as possible to try and restore their authority and to terrorise other publishers. I don't think that's going to work. They're going to try but it's not going to work."
Before entering the Ecuadorian embassy to seek asylum, Mr Assange was placed in prison in 2010 in the UK, and then released on bail and placed under house arrest over the rape allegations.
He has not been charged with any offence, but applied to Ecuador for protection in 2011, fearing he was at risk of extradition to the US from both the United Kingdom and Sweden.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention includes jurisdictions from Africa, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region - including Australia.
The Group investigates cases of deprivation of liberty imposed arbitrarily, or that are inconsistent with standards set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other relevant international legal instruments.
Greg Barnes, an Australian barrister who provides legal support to Julian Assange, explains the details of Mr Assange's case before the UN group.
"The basis of the case here is that the Swedes and the UK in refusing to allow Julian Assange access to the outside world after he sought asylum it has amounted to arbitrary detention. It's also because Sweden has not layed charges against him. So he is in a position where Sweden and the UK have effectively held a person who has simply been the subject of an investigation, that is not something that is lawful under international law."
It is understood that if the group concludes that Mr Assange is being unlawfully detained, the UN is expected to call on the UK and Sweden to release him.
Mr Barnes says many countries which are signatories to various human rights conventions have been selective when it comes to adhering to these conventions.
"There is a strong argument in international law that they are obligated to do so and in fact they are obligated to do so at international law. They questions is what happens if there's a failure to do so. And the consequences range from sanctions to more severe actions, but the real issue is ensuring that nations act consistently. The United Nations framework only works effectively if so called civilised nations such as Australia and the UK comply with rulings from independent United Nations bodies."
Mr Assange has offered to be interviewed inside the embassy by Swedish prosecutors.
It is believed a Swedish team is still considering a request to let Ecuadorian officials do the interrogation.
Another member of Mr Assange's legal team, lawyer Melinda Taylor, says she remains optimistic of a positive outcome.
But she says it's far from certain how quickly Mr Assange would leave the embassy if the verdict is in his favour, due to fears of being extradited to the US.
"It's a slightly complicated situation in that he is detained because of a physical presence of police, but because of a risk of potential extradition to the United States. So his ability to leave the embassy is not only contingent on him not being arrested but also on him receiving adequate assurances for his protection. And it is our position tha the best position would be for him to be accorded safe passage to Ecuador because Ecuador has given him asylum which does give him effective protection from any risks associated with the ongoing investigation with the United States."
Australian officials previously provided consular assistance to Mr Assange, but since December 2010 he has not sought, nor has he acknowledged or responded to repeated offers of assistance, from the Australian High Commission in London.
