STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia.

FILE PHOTO: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leaves Southwark Crown Court after being sentenced in London, Britain, May 1, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo

If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail.

Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy.

“I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape,” Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday.

She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him.

Sweden’s decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubt on where Assange may eventually end up, with U.S. authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information.

A lawyer representing Assange in Sweden said he would tell the District Court it could not investigate the prosecutor’s request until he had conferred with his client and learned whether or not he wished to oppose a detention order.

“Since he is in prison in England, it has so far not been possible even to speak to him by telephone,” Per Samuelson told Reuters.

Assange, an Australian national, took refuge in the embassy after fighting unsuccessfully through the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden.

The British courts will have to rule on the Swedish and U.S. extradition requests, with interior minister Sajid Javid having the final say on which one takes precedence.

“The outcome of this process is impossible to predict,” Persson said. Citing information from UK authorities, she said Assange would serve 25 weeks of his UK sentence before he could be released.

A British judge has given the U.S. government a deadline of June 12 to outline its case against Assange. </s> The Latest: Sweden to seek extradition of Assange from UK

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Latest on Swedish prosecutors' decision whether to reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (all times local):

Swedish prosecutors say they will seek the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Assange after he has served his 50-week prison term in Britain for jumping bail.

Prosecutors in Stockholm said Monday that they will reopen a rape case against Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange denies wrongdoing.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference that "in order to execute the arrest warrant, the prosecutor will issue a so-called European arrest warrant."

The Swedish move would leave Britain to decide whether to extradite Assange to Sweden or to the United States, where he is wanted for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer.

Swedish prosecutors are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference in Stockholm that "there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape." She added: "It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required."

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, is scheduled to hold a news conference in Stockholm. If Sweden relaunches the case, that could leave Britain deciding whether to extradite him to the Scandinavian country or the United States.

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020. </s> Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

Vice chief prosecutor Eva-Britt speaks at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, Monday May 13, 2019. Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. (Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency via AP)

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Latest on Swedish prosecutors’ decision whether to reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (all times local):

2 p.m.

The lawyer for a Swedish woman who reported being raped by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2010 says “today we got great news.”

Elisabeth Massi Fritz says the decision by Swedish authorities to open the rape case against Assange “signals that no one stands above the law,” and that “the legal system in Sweden doesn’t give a special treatment to anyone.”

Massi Fritz told reporters Monday she spoke with her client, who is not named, by phone. She said her client “feels great gratitude.”

Earlier in the day, Swedish prosecutors said they will seek Assange’s extradition to Sweden.

Massi Fritz said she hoped justice would prevail, and “we believe the evidence is good enough that it must be tested.”

Assange denies wrongdoing. He is serving a 50-week prison term in London for jumping bail in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face the allegations.

___

11:45 a.m.

WikiLeaks’ editor-in-chief says the Swedish decision to reopen a rape case against Julian Assange “will give Julian a chance to clear his name.”

Kristinn Hrafnsson said in a statement Monday that Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson had been under “intense political pressure” to reopen the case. He also asserted that the case has been “mishandled” from the start.

Persson announced the Swedish decision a month after Assange was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange’s Swedish lawyer, Per E. Samuelsen, said that his client is innocent and he doesn’t understand the reasoning for reopening a 10-year-old case.

___

11:35 a.m.

Julian Assange’s Swedish lawyer says he is “very surprised” by prosecutors’ decision to reopen a rape case against the WikiLeaks founder and says that his client is innocent.

Prosecutors in Stockholm announced the decision on Monday, a month after Assange was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. They said they would seek Assange’s extradition from Britain.

Lawyer Per E. Samuelson told Swedish broadcaster SVT: “I do not understand the Swedish prosecutor’s ... reasoning for reopening a 10-year old case.”

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn’t be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

11:25 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors say they will seek the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Assange after he has served his 50-week prison term in Britain for jumping bail.

Prosecutors in Stockholm said Monday that they will reopen a rape case against Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange denies wrongdoing.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden’s deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference that “in order to execute the arrest warrant, the prosecutor will issue a so-called European arrest warrant.”

The Swedish move would leave Britain to decide whether to extradite Assange to Sweden or to the United States, where he is wanted for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer.

___

11:15 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden’s deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference in Stockholm that “there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape.” She added: “It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required.”

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn’t be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

9:25 a.m.

Swedish prosecutors plan to say Monday whether they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, a month after he was removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden’s deputy director of public prosecutions, is scheduled to hold a news conference in Stockholm. If Sweden relaunches the case, that could leave Britain deciding whether to extradite him to the Scandinavian country or the United States.

Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010.

Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn’t be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.

___

This story has been corrected to spell the name of Assange’s lawyer as Samuelson, instead of Samuelsen. </s> Stockholm: The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia.

If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail.

Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. </s> The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday filed a request for his arrest, the Prosecution Authority said.The warrant, if granted, would be the first step in a process to have Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping Sweden reopened an investigation into the rape allegation, first made in 2010, on May 13.

Register to advertise your products & services on our classifieds website Digger.co.ke and enjoy one month subscription free of charge and 3 free ads on the Standard newspaper. </s> The Swedish prosecutor heading an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a request with a local court on Monday for him to be detained in absentia.

If granted, the court order would be the first step in a process to have Mr Assange extradited from Britain, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail.

Sweden reopened the rape investigation last week. It was begun in 2010 but dropped in 2017 after Mr Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange, who denies the accusation, was arrested in London last month after spending seven years inside the embassy.

“I request the District Court to detain Mr Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape,” Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday.

She said she would issue a European arrest warrant for Mr Assange to be surrendered to Sweden if the court decided to detain him.

Sweden’s decision to reopen the rape investigation casts doubt on where Mr Assange may eventually end up, with US authorities already seeking his extradition over conspiracy charges relating to one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information.

A lawyer representing Mr Assange in Sweden said he would tell the District Court it could not investigate the prosecutor’s request until he had conferred with his client and learned whether or not he wished to oppose a detention order.

“Since he is in prison in England, it has so far not been possible even to speak to him by telephone,” Per Samuelson told Reuters.

Mr Assange, an Australian national, took refuge in the embassy after fighting unsuccessfully through the British courts to avoid extradition to Sweden.

The British courts will have to rule on the Swedish and US extradition requests, with interior minister Sajid Javid having the final say on which one takes precedence.

“The outcome of this process is impossible to predict,” Persson said. Citing information from UK authorities, she said Mr Assange would serve 25 weeks of his UK sentence before he could be released.

A British judge has given the US government a deadline of June 12th to outline its case against Mr Assange.

Meanwhile, supporters of Julian Assange have gathered outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London ahead of the handing over of his belongings to United States prosecutors.

WikiLeaks claimed its founder’s possessions left from his time living inside the embassy, including legal papers and electronic equipment, were to be removed on Monday.

Protesters fixed banners to railings outside the embassy with images of Mr Assange, his mouth covered by an American flag.

The small group held up posters with the messages “Free Assange” and “#FreeSpeech”.

One woman shouted towards the building: “You are stealing Assange’s belongings.”

One supporter, who only wanted to be named as Maxine, said she was at the embassy “to witness and to oppose” the removal of Mr Assange’s belongings.

She said: “I’m protesting about the seizure of Julian Assange’s belongings, yet another piece of the persecution of Julian.

“And it’s not clear to anybody on what legal basis they are doing this or what’s going to happen next.

“It looks like these belongings are going to go straight back to the US.” – Reuters and PA </s> Swedish prosecutors have submitted an application for a detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Deputy director of public prosecution Eva-Marie Persson asked Uppsala District Court to detain Assange in his absence.

He is serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh Prison in London for bail violations.

Assange was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy last month after living there for almost seven years.

Swedish prosecutors are reopening an investigation into a rape allegation against Assange, which he denies.

“I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape.

“If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden”, said Ms Persson

Assange is also facing extradition proceedings by the United States.

Ms Persson added: “In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority.

“The outcome of this process is impossible to predict. However, in my view the Swedish case can proceed concurrently with the proceedings in the UK.”

WikiLeaks said Assange’s property from his time living in the embassy, including electronic equipment and legal documents, is being removed on Monday and “handed over” to the US.

WikiLeaks said United Nations officials and Assange’s lawyers were not being allowed to be present.

Lawyers said it was an illegal seizure of property, which has been requested by the US authorities.

The material is said to include two of Assange’s manuscripts. </s> Assange is accused of raping a woman in Sweden in 2010

Swedish authorities have filed a request to detain WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a rape allegation.

If granted, it would be the first step in potentially extraditing him from the UK, where he is serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail in 2012.

The case was reopened last week after authorities said there was "probable cause" of an offence.

"I request the district court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape," deputy chief prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said in a statement on Monday.

She said a European arrest warrant would be issued if the court agrees.

The Australian was accused of rape and sexual assault against two women in 2010.

The statute of limitations on the assault accusation expired in 2015, while Assange sought protection in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and the prosecutor dropped the investigation in 2017.

However, the rape allegation does not expire until August next year.

The Associated Press said the detention order states Assange is wanted for "intentionally having carried out an intercourse" with a woman "by unduly exploiting that she was in a helpless state because of sleep".

It claims there was "an aggravating circumstance" because Assange did not use a condom.

Sweden and the US could now be set for a battle over his future.

Assange is wanted in America over allegedly conspiring with Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer, leading to the release of hundreds of thousands of government documents - most notoriously relating to the Iraq War.

Experts believe the UK is likely to favour an extradition request from Sweden because the claims there are more serious.

The 47-year-old was hauled out of the Ecuadorian embassy last month after the country revoked his asylum. He had confined himself to the building since 2012.

Per E Samuelsen, Assange's lawyer, said last week it was "embarrassing for Sweden to reopen the investigation".

"He has always wanted to help solve this Swedish issue, his big predicament in life is that he risks being extradited to the United States because of his journalistic work," said Mr Samuelsen.

The WikiLeaks editor-in-chief said Assange had repeatedly offered to answer questions from Swedish authorities.

"The widespread media assertion that Assange 'evaded' Swedish questioning is false," said Kristinn Hrafnsson.

"This investigation has been dropped before and its reopening will give Julian a chance to clear his name." </s> Swedish prosecutors said Monday they are reopening a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and seek his extradition after he has served his 50-week prison term in Britain for jumping bail.Eva-Marie Persson, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, told a news conference in Stockholm that "there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape." She added: "It is my assessment that a new questioning of Assange is required."Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges - a step short of formal charges - against Assange after he visited the country in 2010, following complaints from two Swedish women who said they were the victims of sex crimes committed by Assange.The Australian secret-spiller left Sweden for Britain in September 2010, and took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in June 2012 to avoid extradition.After almost seven years holed up in the building, he was arrested by British police April 11 when Ecuador revoked his political asylum, accusing him of everything from meddling in the nation's foreign affairs to poor hygiene.He is currently in London's Belmarsh Prison serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail in 2012. He is also being held on a U.S. extradition warrant for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer.While a Swedish case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped in 2017 when the statute of limitations expired, a rape allegation remains. Swedish authorities have had to shelf it because Assange was living at the embassy at the time and there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden.The statute of limitations on that case expires next August. Assange has denied wrongdoing, asserting that the allegations were politically motivated and that the sex was consensual.Julian Assange's Swedish lawyer Per E. Samuelsen told Swedish broadcaster SVT on Monday he was "very suprised" by the decision to reopen the case."I do not understand the Swedish prosecutor's ... reasoning for reopening a 10-year old case," he said.Persson said a European arrest warrant will be issued for Assange. A Swedish court would formally issue the extradition request, which Assange could appeal.She added that while there is a risk the case may cut close to the statute of limitations deadline, "there is also a chance that we will be able to get him extradited before August 17 next year."The Swedish move would leave British authorities to decide whether to extradite Assange to Sweden or to the United States, where he is wanted separately for allegedly hacking into a Pentagon computer.There was no immediate reaction from Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer for the woman who reported being raped by Assange.The 47-year-old Australian met the women in connection with a lecture in August 2010 in Stockholm. One was involved in organizing an event for Sweden's center-left Social Democratic Party and offered to host Assange at her apartment. The other was in the audience.A police officer who heard the women's accounts decided there was reason to suspect they were victims of sex crimes and handed the case to a prosecutor.Neither of the alleged victims has been named publicly.Assange faces a maximum of four years in prison in Sweden.The British extradition process is not swift, and Assange could appeal several times if decisions go against him. It's expected it would take a year or longer for him to be sent to the United States or possibly to Sweden even if he ultimately loses in court.WikiLeaks' Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said the decision to reopen the case against Assange "will give Julian a chance to clear his name."He said in a statement that Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson had been under "intense political pressure" to reopen the case, and criticized authorities for "mishandling" it from the start. </s> May 20 (UPI) -- A Swedish prosecutor filed a request to arrest WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange Monday for allegedly raping a woman in her sleep.

The request by Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson comes a week after she held a press conference stating that the prosecution would be reopening a 2010 rape case against the Australian national.

According to the court documents, the prosecution alleges that Assange had sex with a woman while she was asleep in her home in August 2010, The Local reported.

The documents state that it is an "aggravating circumstance" as he allegedly did not use a condom, which was the "plaintiff's express will and prerequisite for sexual intercourse."

Persson said in a statement if the arrest warrant is granted, she will then issue a European arrest warrant to have Assange extradited to Sweden from England, where he is serving a 50-week jail sentence for breach of bail in 2012.

The original investigation into the allegations against Assange was shelved after he found refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, but after Ecuadorian authorities turned him over to British police April 11, Persson said last week that "the circumstances" in the case had changed.

The United States has also filed an extradition warrant for Assange where he faces up to five years in prison on charges he conspired with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack Department of Defense computers.

On May 2, Assange told a British court that he would fight extradition.

"I don't wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected man people," he said via video from London's Belmarsh Prison.
The Swedish prosecutor files an arrest warrant against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a rape allegation. Assange is serving a 50-week prison sentence in the United Kingdom for skipping bail.