UPDATED 6.21am: A UN committee has found Julian Assange's three and a half year stay at London's Ecuadorian embassy amounts to unlawful detention.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has ruled he's a political refugee whose rights have been infringed by being unable to take up asylum in Ecuador.

A friend of Assange, Vaughan Smith, says he must be allowed to walk free.

"We make such a fuss, you know, a siren call when another country fails in human rights. But we don't appear to want to know when we do."

But the UN ruling has no legal binding, and Britain argues it changes nothing - Assange will face arrest if he leaves the embassy.

The Wikileaks founder, who jumped bail to take refuge in the embassy, is wanted in Sweden for questioning over an allegation of rape in 2010, which he denies.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will seek advice on the case.

Ms Bishop has told reporters in London she was not sure if the UN report would change Mr Assange's circumstances but she will read it and seek advice.

But she says the Australian hasn't sought federal government assistance for years, despite there being a standing offer to him.