With the news that Swedish prosecutors have dropped their
investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Guardian looks back at
his rise to prominence, his years holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy, why he
ended up there, and how the story has developed during his voluntary
incarceration
Can Julian Assange now walk free?
What happens next - Q&A
A potential UK arrest and US
extradition still loom over the WikiLeaks founder after Sweden dropped its rape
inquiry
Matthew Weaver
Friday 19 May 2017 12.28 BST First published on Friday 19
May 2017 11.35 BST
What has happened to Julian Assange?
Swedish prosecutors have dropped their rape investigation
into the WikiLeaks founder. Marianne Ny, Sweden’s director of public
prosecutions, said she had decided to discontinue the inquiry into the
allegation dating from 2010, when the country issued a European arrest warrant
for him.
Why has the investigation been dropped?
Ny said Sweden had exhausted the possibilities for
investigating the allegations and were therefore obliged under Swedish law to
discontinue the inquiry. But, she said, it could be reopened if Assange returns
to Sweden before the statute of limitations ends in 2020. She also confirmed
that Sweden had withdrawn its request for a European arrest warrant against
him. Another allegation of sexual assault made by a second Swedish woman was
dropped by Swedish authorities in 2015 after the statute of limitations
expired. The UK government said on Friday it had no involvement in Sweden’s
decision to drop the investigation.
Does this mean Assange can walk out of the Ecuadorian
embassy in London?
No, because he still faces arrest over breaching UK bail
conditions, and the possibility of extradition to the US. Assange sought refuge
in Ecuador’s embassy in London in 2012, after UK courts ruled that Sweden’s
extradition request was lawful. Assange has always said he believes he faces
extradition to the US because WikiLeaks published classified information. But
the Metropolitan police have maintained that Assange would be arrested if he
left the embassy.
That position has not changed. Scotland Yard said on Friday
that it is still obliged to execute a warrant issued by Westminster magistrates
court for the arrest of Assange after his breach of bail conditions in June
2012. It said in a statement:
While Mr Assange was wanted on a European arrest warrant for
an extremely serious offence, the MPS response reflected the serious nature of
that crime. Now that the situation has changed and the Swedish authorities have
discontinued their investigation into that matter, Mr Assange remains wanted
for a much less serious offence. The MPS will provide a level of resourcing which
is proportionate to that offence. The priority for the MPS must continue to be
arresting those who are currently wanted in the capital in connection with
serious violent or sexual offences for the protection of Londoners.
The offence of breaching bail carries a maximum sentence of
one year in prison.
Does the US want Assange to be extradited?
Almost certainly, but the Home Office never confirms whether
an extradition request has been made or received until the person in question
has been arrested. Last month, the US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, said the
arrest of Assange was a “priority” after the CIA director, Mike Pompeo,
described WikiLeaks as a “hostile intelligence service” and a threat to US
national security.
US federal prosecutors are understood to be considering
bringing charges against Assange over a number of the website’s publications
since 2010. This could potentially lead to an extradition request for Assange.
“We’ve already begun to step up our efforts and whenever a case can be made, we
will seek to put some people in jail,” Sessions said.
Has the European arrest warrant against Assange been lifted?
Yes. The Crown Prosecution Service said that the European
Arrest Warrant was discharged on Friday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court after
the Swedish investigation was dropped.
Has Assange been questioned by Swedish prosecutors?
Yes, this took place at the embassy last November in the
presence of Sweden’s chief prosecutor, Ingrid Isgren. Assange later released
his full testimony to Swedish prosecutors, maintaining that he was “entirely
innocent” of the allegation.
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