Seven years on, Sweden drops Assange rape probe

STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s top prosecutor said she is dropping an investigation into a rape claim against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after almost seven years.

The announcement yesterday means the outspoken WikiLeaks leader no longer faces sex crime allegations in Sweden, although British police say he is still wanted in Britain for jumping bail in 2012.

Assange is still inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he has lived for nearly five years. He has indicated concerns that he may face indictment in the United States for his role at the helm of WikiLeaks.

“This is a total victory for Julian Assange. He is now free to leave the embassy when he wants. We have won the Assange case. He is, of course, happy and relieved.

“He has been critical that it has lasted that long,” Per E. Samuelsson, his lawyer in Sweden, told Swedish Radio.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority said yesterday that chief Marianne Ny “has decided to discontinue the investigation”.

Ny said she would call back the European arrest warrant for Assange.

Yesterday was the deadline for the Swedish prosecution to send a request to Stockholm District Court in the Assange case.

Assange, 45, took refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden to answer questions about sex crime allegations from two women. He has been there ever since, fearing that if he is in custody he might ultimately be extradited to the United States.

It is not known if US officials are seeking Assange’s arrest because of a possible sealed indictment.

Last month, President Donald Trump said he would support any decision by the Justice Department to charge Assange.

British police said despite Sweden’s decision, Assange still faces arrest if he leaves the embassy in London.

The Metropolitan Police said there is a British warrant for Assange’s arrest after he jumped bail in 2012 and the force “is obliged to execute that warrant should he leave the embassy”.