WikiLeaks' Julian Assange grilled over sex allegations in London embassy
WIKILEAKS' founder Julian Assange is facing a grilling by Swedish detectives today inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, more than six years after he was first accused of sex crimes.
Julian Assange speaks from Ecuadorian embassy
Representatives from the Swedish prosecutor's office and the Swedish police will be present while questions are put to the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief by an Ecuadorian official today.
The 45-year-old Australian has been granted political asylum by Ecuador and has been living inside the embassy for over four years.
He believes that if he returns to Sweden to face charges he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of the whistle-blowing website.
The Ecuadorian Embassy granted Swedish officials the right to interview Julian Assange
Mr Assange denies the allegation against him and has been offering to be interviewed at the embassy.
We are pleased that the Swedish authorities will finally interview Mr Assange in our embassy in London
Guillaume Long, Ecuador's foreign minister, said: “We are pleased that the Swedish authorities will finally interview Mr Assange in our embassy in London.
“This is something that Ecuador has been inviting the Swedish prosecutors to do ever since we granted asylum to Mr Assange in 2012.
“There was no need for the Swedish authorities to delay for over 1,000 days before agreeing to carry out this interview, given that the Swedish authorities regularly question people in Britain and received permission to do so on more than 40 occasions in recent years.
Julian Assange has been inside the embassy for over four years now
“Ecuador has never sought to stand in the way of any legal process in Sweden.
“What we have asked from Sweden, and the UK, are guarantees that Mr Assange will not be extradited to a third country, where he could be persecuted for his work as as a journalist.
“The Ecuadorian government granted asylum to Mr Assange in 2012 given the risk of such political persecution and we believe that this threat remains very real.“
The Swedish assistant prosecutor, chief prosecutor Ingrid Isgren, and a Swedish police investigator will be present at the interview and have said that providing Mr Assange gives his consent, a DNA sample will also be taken.
Assange fears being extradited to the United States if the Swedes take him in
The results of the interview will be reported from Ecuador to the Swedish prosecutors in a written statement.
After the report, the prosecutors will decide whether to continue their investigation.
Ingrid Isgren will not give interviews during her stay in London, it was made clear.
Details of the ongoing investigation are being kept confidential
“As the investigation is ongoing, it is subject to confidentiality. This confidentiality also applies according to Ecuadorian legislation for the investigative measures conducted at the embassy.
“Therefore, the prosecutors cannot provide information concerning details of the investigation after the interview,” said a statement.
“I welcome the fact that the investigation can now move forward via an interview with the suspect,” said director of prosecution Marianne Ny, who is responsible for the investigation.