Ecuador has drawn up rules of conduct for Julian Assange. He must clean up after his cat and pay for laundry

Ecuador has drawn up new rules of conduct for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on the premises of the country's embassy in London. The rules, which have been in effect since October 13, were obtained by the publication Codigo Vidrio.

Rules prohibit Assange from receiving more than three guests at a time; each visitor must also send a request in advance by email. Assange cannot make statements that could be seen as interference in the affairs of other countries, under penalty of revoking his refugee status.

The embassy will also no longer pay for Assange's food, medical and laundry expenses, retaining only the payment of utilities. Assange can access the Internet from his own devices, and he is allowed to use the embassy's computers only in extreme cases.

The rules also stipulate that Assange and his guests must maintain cleanliness and hygiene: in particular, the WikiLeaks founder must feed his cat himself and clean up after it. Otherwise, the document says, the animal may be transferred to a shelter.

• The Ecuadorian government that came to power in 2017 has set a course for improving relations with the US and UK; as a result, the new leadership has publicly called the situation with Assange a “problem.” In the summer of 2018, the media reported that Ecuador and the UK were close to an agreement on the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder.