WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, seen here in January 2014, has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for two years.

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Stockholm, Sweden (CNN) -- A detention order against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on sexual assault allegations should remain in place, a Swedish judge ruled Wednesday.

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for more than two years in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning about allegations that he raped one woman and sexually molested another.

Assange calls the charges false and politically motivated, but has said he fears that Sweden will transfer him to the United States -- where he could face the death penalty for the work of WikiLeaks -- if he were charged and convicted of a crime.

He was represented at a hearing Wednesday in Stockholm by lawyers Thomas Olsson and Per Samuelsson, who argued that the detention order against their client should be revoked.

But Stockholm District Court Judge Lena Egelin ruled that Assange was still suspected, with probable cause, of sex crimes and that his detention order should remain in place.

Elisabeth Massi Fritz, a lawyer representing one of the women making the allegations against Assange, called the decision "correct and expected."

Prosecutor Marianne Ny told reporters after the verdict that it was now up to the UK police to enforce the arrest warrant for Assange.

"It is in the hands of Julian Assange, who has taken refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, whether or not he decides to leave the embassy," she said.

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Assange detention order remains in place

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange remains in the Ecuadorian embassy in London after a Swedish court rejected his request to overturn a nearly four-year-old detention order in a sexual-assault case.

The court has decided that there is still probable cause concerning the suspicions directed toward Assange, Stockholm City Court said yesterday after a ruling by Judge Lena Egelin. There is still a risk that he will fail to appear or in some other way avoid participation in the investigation.

Assange, 43, sought refuge with Ecuador in June 2012, after exhausting options in U.K. courts to avoid extradition to face questioning on allegations of rape and sexual molestation during a 2010 visit to Sweden. The Australian, who says hes innocent and hasnt been charged with a crime, has refused to return to the Nordic country citing risks that he will be extradited to the U.S. over the release of secret documents by WikiLeaks.

We dont agree with the decision, Thomas Olsson, one of Assanges lawyers, told reporters after the ruling. This means that the decision will be appealed, Olsson said, adding that he plans to do so as soon as possible.

Assange is accused in Sweden of failing to use a condom with one woman and having sex with another while she was asleep. The women, both supporters of WikiLeaks, let him stay at their homes during a speaking tour in 2010.

My view is that he needs to be available for questioning in Sweden ahead of a potential trial regarding the crimes he is suspected of having committed here, Marianne Ny, the chief prosecutor, said at a press conference in Stockholm following the judges decision. The evidence against Assange is still strong, she said,

During the hearing, Assanges lawyers played video clips featuring U.S. politicians, officials from the Justice Department, President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the actions of WikiLeaks in an effort to highlight the risks Assange faces if he travels to Sweden and were to be extradited to the U.S.

We want to show the court that Assange needs to use his political asylum, Per Samuelson, a lawyer for Assange, said in court, adding that the Australian isnt at the Ecuadorian embassy to avoid Swedish law.

WikiLeaks, which started in 2006, leaks classified documents under a philosophy of increasing government transparency. The group drew condemnation from the U.S. for posting thousands of documents on its website, including U.S. communications about foreign governments and military efforts during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. One U.S. soldier, Private Bradley Manning, is serving as long as 35 years in prison for providing the group with classified information.

Ny rejected the defense claims that the case was politically motivated.

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Assange Loses Appeal in Swedish Court to Cancel Detention

AFP Swedish court to decide on WikiLeaks founder's fate

Stockholm (AFP) - Julian Assange has lost a court bid to get an arrest warrant against him scrapped, leaving the WikiLeaks founder marooned in the Ecuadoran embassy in London where he sought refuge more than two years ago.

The 43-year-old Assange fears extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual molestation, which he denies.

At the hearing in Stockholm District Court, prosecutors demanded that the warrant, issued in late 2010, should be upheld to secure Assange's return to Sweden.

They rejected Assange's suggestion that they question him in London.

"It would involve questioning a number of people a second or third time, among them possibly Mr Assange," prosecutor Marianne Ny told a press conference.

"To what extent this questioning can be carried out with the help of judicial assistance from our colleagues in Britain is difficult to say."

- 'We will appeal' -

Assange's defence team, which had maintained that the investigation had been unreasonably long, said it would appeal the ruling.

"The last word hasn't been said yet on this," said Thomas Olsson, a member of Assange's defence team.

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Swedish court upholds warrant against WikiLeaks founder

Julian Assange has lost his appeal in Sweden. Photo: AFP

Stockholm: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost a bid to cancel a Swedish detention order for alleged sexual assault as he fights to leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he sought asylum two years ago.

"The court has decided that there is still probable cause concerning the suspicions directed toward Assange," Stockholm City Court said on Wednesday after a ruling by Judge Lena Egelin. "There is still a risk that he will fail to appear or in some other way avoid participation in the investigation."

In Canberra, Australian Attorney-General GeorgeBrandissaysAssangeshould face the claims.

Prosecutor Marianne Ny after the court hearing in Stockholm. Photo: Reuters

"I think MrAssangeshould be man enough to face the allegations against him of being a sexual predator," SenatorBrandistoldABCradio on Thursday.

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The 43-year-old Australian sought refuge with Ecuador in June 2012 after exhausting options in British courts to avoid extradition to face questioning on allegations of rape and sexual molestation during a 2010 visit to Sweden.

Mr Assange who has said he is innocent and has not been charged with a crime, has refused to return to Sweden citing risks that he will be extradited to the United States.

Julian Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London since June 2012. Photo: AFP

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Julian Assange loses court appeal in Sweden

Stockholm A Swedish court on Wednesday upheld its detention order on Julian Assange, reaffirming the legal basis for an international warrant for the WikiLeaks founder which has kept him hiding in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London for two years.

Assanges lawyers said they will appeal the Stockholm district courts decision.

No charges have been brought against Assange in Sweden but he is wanted for questioning by police over allegations of sexual misconduct and rape involving two women he met during a visit to the Scandinavian country in 2010. Prosecutors have declined to allow the possibility of questioning him in London.

Even if Sweden had dropped its case against Assange, he would face immediate arrest by British police for violating his bail conditions when he fled officials and sought refuge at the embassy. The police have maintained a constant presence outside the embassy since then.

In a meeting last month with reporters at the embassy to mark his second year of hiding, Assange said had no intention of going to Sweden because he has no guarantees he wouldnt subsequently be sent to the United States, where an investigation into WikiLeaks dissemination of hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. documents remains live.

Originally posted here:
Swedish court upholds detention order on WikiLeaks founder Assange

July 16, 2014: Julian Assange's lawyers Tomas Olsson, left, and Per E. Samuelsson talk to media prior to a public court hearing in Stockholm.AP

A Swedish court has decided to uphold a warrant for the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted for alleged sexual assault.

The Stockholm District Court opened at midday to review the arrest warrant, which alleges incidents of rape and sexual molestation against Assange in 2010, which he denies, according to The Local.

The court ruled to uphold a detention order on Assange, which reaffirms the legal basis for his international arrest warrant, The Associated Press reports.

Assanges lawyers said they will appeal the decision.

The 43-year-old has caused international controversy by leaking secret documents belonging to the United States.

Since releasing the documents in 2012, Assange has hunkered down at the Ecuadoran embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden, which he fears could be a gateway to transferring him for prosecution in America.

Wednesdays hearing originated following a change in Swedish law which means that Assanges prosecutors must hand over evidence against him in the case, including texts from a Swedish woman who allegedly indicated that she did not want to press charges, The Local reports.

Click for more from The Local.

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Swedish court upholds arrest warrant for WikiLeaks' Assange