SWEDEN-ASSANGE/FILE Swedish prosecutors want to question Assange in London

Record ID: 572296

  • Title: SWEDEN-ASSANGE/FILE Swedish prosecutors want to question Assange in London
  • Date: 13th March 2015
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 16, 2010) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (NIGHT SHOTS) LARGE CROWD OF MEDIA OUTSIDE HIGH COURT, ASSANGE LEAVING HIGH COURT AFTER BEING RELEASED ON BAIL (SOUNDBITE) (English) WIKILEAKS FOUNDER ASSANGE ADDRESSING MEDIA SAYING: "Well, it's great to smell the fresh air of London again." ASSANGE AND TEAM OF LAWYERS OUTSIDE HIGH COURT BUNGAY, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 17, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ASSANGE STANDING IN SNOW-COVERED GROUNDS OF ELLINGHAM HALL, HOME OF ASSANGE'S FRIEND VAUGHAN SMITH, WHERE ASSANGE STAYED AS PART OF HIS BAIL ARRANGEMENTS ASSANGE' TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) WIKILEAKS FOUNDER ASSANGE SAYING: "This has been a very successful smear campaign so far but I think that its days are numbered and people are starting to wonder, is what is claimed really true and if it is true where's the evidence, why has no evidence been provided even to me and to my defence attorneys?" LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JANUARY 17, 2011) (REUTERS) SWISS BANKER AND WHISTLEBLOWER, RUDOLPH ELMER, HANDING OVER CD'S OF INFORMATION ON OFF-SHORE BANK ACCOUNTS TO ASSANGE DURING NEWS CONFERENCE IN FRONTLINE CLUB LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 8, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR BELMARSH MAGISTRATE'S COURT BUILDING ASSANGE AND LEGAL TEAM ARRIVING ON FINAL DAY OF HEARINGS IN HIS CASE AGAINST EXTRADITION TO SWEDEN LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 10, 2011) (REUTERS) ASSANGE BEING PRESENTED WITH SYDNEY PEACE MEDAL IN FRONTLINE CLUB PHOTOGRAPHER ASSANGE PUTTING MEDAL AROUND HIS NECK CLOSE OF MEDAL LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 15, 2011) (REUTERS) CHANTING CROWD OF "OCCUPY" PROTESTERS ON STEPS OF ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL BANNER READING "REAL DEMOCRACY NOW!" (SOUNDBITE) (English), ASSANGE LEADING CROWD OF "OCCUPY" PROTESTERS IN CHANT, SAYING: "I have always wanted to say ....... that we are all individuals." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - DECEMBER 5, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR HIGH COURT CLOSE OF SIGN "THE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE" ASSANGE, SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS AND MEDIA, ARRIVING TO HEAR HIGH COURT DECISION ON HIS REQUEST TO APPEAL AGAINST HIS EXTRADITION TO SWEDEN ASSANGE SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE HIGH COURT WITH BANNER READING "THE FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR IS TRUTH" WOMAN HOLDING PLACARD READING "NO EXTRADITION, FREE JULIAN ASSANGE" BANNER READING "FREE ASSANGE! FREE MANNING! END THE WARS" (SOUNDBITE) (English) WIKILEAKS FOUNDER ASSANGE ADDRESSING MEDIA AND SUPPORTERS AFTER BEING GRANTED PERMISSION TO APPEAL TO BRITAIN'S SUPREME COURT AGAINST HIS EXTRADITION TO SWEDEN, SAYING: "The long struggle for justice for me and others continues. Thank you." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 2, 2012) (REUTERS) TILT DOWN EXTERIOR SUPREME COURT CLOSE OF SIGN "THE SUPREME COURT"
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADP3ZXZQ70WFSMSUR330GH18VB
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    Swedish prosecutors have asked for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's approval to question him in London where he is holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in a possible breakthrough in a case that has been at an impasse for years, prosecutors said.
    One of Assange's lawyers said he welcomed the request but noted concern the process could take time given that approval was also needed from British and Ecuadorian authorities.
    Sweden wants to question him on allegations of sexual assault and rape, which he denies. Prosecutors said they were also asking to conduct a DNA test of Assange, who has been stuck inside the South American country's London embassy since June 2012 to avoid a British extradition to Sweden.
    A Swedish appeals court late last year upheld a detention order but said prosecutors had not made enough effort, noting the "failure of the prosecutors to examine alternative avenues is not in line with their obligation".
    The prosecution had long refused to go to London for the questioning and said the main reason it had changed its mind was that a number of the crimes Assange was suspected of would be subject to statutes of limitation in August.
    Prosecutor Marianne Ny said she still believed that questioning him at the embassy would lower the quality of the interview and that he would need to be present in Sweden should the case come to a trial.
    "Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies to the investigation," she said in a statement.
    Sweden's Supreme Court is currently weighing whether to try the request from Assange to have the warrant for his arrest lifted, and has asked the prosecutor to submit an opinion on the matter before a decision can be taken.
    The Australian says he fears that if Britain extradited him to Sweden he would then be extradited to the United States where he could be tried for one of the largest information leaks in U.S. history.
    Assange was initially taken into custody in London but freed on bail, later claiming political asylum in Ecuador's embassy.
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