Assange's legal team immediately issued its own statement, saying it will appeal to a higher court.

He's wanted in Sweden on rape allegations, and the United Kingdom arrested him in 2010. He has said he's afraid that if he leaves the embassy, he could end up being extradited and facing the death penalty in the United States over allegations of revealing government secrets through his site, WikiLeaks.

The statement from Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny said there's still probable cause against Assange on the rape charge as well as reason to believe he will flee to avoid prosecution. Prosecutors have asked Ecuador to let them question Assange at its embassy in London, Ny said.

"The public interest in the investigation continuing is still of high importance" the statement said.

The court in Stockholm also ruled that Assange, 44, should remain detained in absentia.

"The district court finds that the interest of enabling investigation of the crime JA is suspected of by way of questioning him outweighs the intrusion or harm the detention order causes JA. There are therefore grounds for JA to remain detained in absentia," the statement said.

But Swedish prosecutors disagreed, saying Assange's stay in the embassy was not a form of detention.

Journalist Per Nyberg in Sweden and CNN's Claudia Rebaza in London contributed to this report.

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Swedish court upholds Julian Assange arrest warrant - cnn.com

Julian Assange remains wanted by Swedish authorities.

A Swedish lower court has upheld the arrest warrant for Julian Assange, saying the Wikileaks founder's stay at Ecuador's London embassy did not equal detention.

Assange, 44, is wanted by Swedish authorities for questioning over allegations, which he denies, that he committed rape in 2010.

An Australian computer hacker who enraged US authorities by publishing hundreds of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables, he has been holed-up in the embassy since June 2012 to avoid the rape investigation in Sweden.

He says he fears further extradition to the United States, where there has been a criminal investigation into the activities of Wikileaks.

"The district court finds that there is still probable cause for the suspicion against JA (Julian Assange) for rape, less serious incident, and that there is still a risk that he will depart or in some other way evade prosecution or penalty," the court said in a statement.

Last year, Sweden's Supreme Court rejected a previous appeal by Assange to revoke a detention order.

Following a statement by a UN panel that his stay in the embassy amounts to arbitrary detention, Assange's lawyers again in February asked the Stockholm District Court to overturn the warrant for his arrest.

"Unlike the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention the district court does not consider JA's stay at the Embassy of Ecuador in London a form of detention," the court said.

Assange will appeal the ruling, said Per Samuelsson, one of his Swedish lawyers.

"I just spoke to him, and like us he is not surprised but very critical and angry," he said.

"The Swedish justice system only takes into consideration the Swedish bit, and not the whole situation given the tough sentence hanging over him in the United States."

In 2010, Wikileaks released more than 90,000 secret documents on the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan, followed by almost 400,000 US military reports detailing operations in Iraq.

Those disclosures were followed by release of millions of diplomatic cables dating back to 1973.

Reuters/AFP

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Julian Assange: Swedish court upholds arrest warrant for ...

Julian Assange addressing the media from the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in central London. Photograph: Jack Taylor/AFP/Getty Images

A Stockholm district court has upheld an arrest warrant against Julian Assange, saying there is still probable cause for suspicion against the WikiLeaks founder.

Assange is wanted in Sweden over allegations of rape dating from 2010, which he denies, but he has not been charged. He has been confined to the Ecuadorian embassy in London since July 2012, when he sought asylum to avoid extradition.

Lawyers for the Australian sought to have the warrant quashed after a United Nations working group determined in February that Assange was subject to arbitrary detention at the embassy.

But the district ruled on Wednesday that the warrant against him should stand, saying: The district court finds that there is still probable cause for the suspicion against JA [Julian Assange] for rape, less serious incident, and that there is still a risk that he will depart or in some other way evade prosecution or penalty.

Marianne Ny, the director of public prosecutions at the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said in a statement: In our opinion, the public interest to continue the investigation still carries weight. The efforts to conduct an interview and take DNA samples continue, and we are still awaiting a response to the application for legal assistance which was submitted to Ecuador in March 2016. The court shares our view that a continued detention complies with the principle of proportionality.

Per E Samuelson, one of Assanges Swedish lawyers, told the Guardian he was disappointed, of course, and had already received instructions to appeal.

He said he believed the judge had made numerous mistakes, principally in ignoring the UN working groups finding and its request to restore Assanges freedom of movement. This is not even discussed by the judge, it is ignored. Of course it is astonishing that a Swedish court disobeys United Nations fundamental international regulations on human rights.

Samuelson said he was aware of a new request to interview Assange in London, but she [Ny] is very late. The request was still being considered by the Ecuadorean authorities, he said, so we dont know the outcome of that yet.

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Swedish court upholds Julian Assange arrest warrant | Media ...

This week, actress Pamela Anderson fed rumors of a blossoming relationship with Julian Assange, saying the Wikileaks founder is "a gentleman, he is extremely smart, resilient." The Canadian-born Baywatch-star-turned-animal rights-activist appears to have moved away from her taste in red-blooded Americans (see: ex-husbands Tommy Lee, Kid Rock and poker player Rick Salomon) in favor of someone a little... paler.

Modeling a new line of Coco de Mer lingerie, Anderson, 49, told PEOPLE that she has been "taking ballet in Paris," "reading Napoleon and Josephine in French," "drinking too much ros," and hinted that she might be falling for the 45-year-old Australian. "Julian is one of my favorite people," Anderson told PEOPLE. "Julian is trying to free the world by educating it. It is a romantic struggle I love him for this."

For those eager for a Pam and Julian sex tape, here's what you need to know about the love story of the pinup and the Wikileaks mastermind.

They've been spending time together for several yearsU.K. tabloids report that the pair met in 2014. As the papers tell it, London-based fashion designer Vivienne Westwood introduced the two after Anderson expressed the desire to recruit Assange to support her foundation that advocates for "human, animal and environmental rights." She told the Sunthat they began seeing each other monthly, but now it's "a lot more regularly."

They are definitely into to each otherTwo months ago, the hosts of the Australian radio program the Kyle and Jackie O Show spoke to Assange, who said Anderson is "an attractive person with an attractive personality. She's no idiot at all. Psychologically she's very savvy." The following week, Anderson appeared on the syndicated show and admitted that she talked more often with her new beau that she did with all her ex husbands. When asked if they kissed yet, she played coy: "That was never the intention to become romantic. It was to just join forces to be something important." After giggling, she added: "It was never the intention, but things happen for sure." Anderson's most revealing statement addressed marriage: "I always thought I'd make a good First Lady and if I had to pick a world leader to stand beside it would be Julian Assange."

Despite Assange's current living situation, they see each other pretty oftenBritish press is fascinated by the curvy Playboy model's romance with the 6-foot-2, pale-skinned leader of the first "stateless news organization" especially since Assange has been confined to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012, where he has been avoiding extradition.

Anderson has talked openly about visiting Assange on several occasions over the past eight months at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. A PETA advocate promoting thevegan diet, she brings him groceries from Whole Foods, vegan cheeseburgers from the Mildred chain in London, and organic sandwiches from Pret A Manger. (The frequent food deliveries started a rumor thatAnderson is poisoning Assange, though that appears to be false.)On Monday, after attending a Coco de Mer collection launch party, Anderson visited Assange at the Embassy and went back the next night, as well. Assange stayed indoors, since venturing outside could mean enforcement of a warrant over a 2012 Swedish rape allegations and possible extradition to the United States for publishing hundreds of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

This isn't Assange's first rumored public romanceAnderson's private life has long been in the spotlight, as countless articles, photographs and videos highlight her short-lived marriages and her most intimate moments with Tommy Lee. However, the details of Assange's personal life remain obscure for the most part. His most publicized possible fling involves his alleged involvement with Sarah Harrison, a British journalist who became Wikileaks' envoy and the "mystery woman sent to spirit former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden from Hong Kong to Moscow" in 2013.

In 1989, when Assange was a teenager, Assange and his then 17-year-old girlfriend Teresa had a child. And though he reportedly has several other children, their names and locations are kept close his chest, largely due to security reasons. "My children have received death threats and are in hiding," Assange told Rolling Stonein 2012. "Many people I am close to in a familial way, I have to be extremely cautious about exposing."

Anderson has been journaling their relationshipLast week, Anderson wrote a roughly 1,500-word poem of sorts, titled, "Slavlan, Sweden" on her foundation's website addressed to the "beautiful and progressive country" of the country where Assange is wanted for rape. The writing invites readers into the workings of Anderson's mind and includes an scattered thoughts on the American dating culture being "a bit risky," the "harsh style" of President Trump and the "epidemic of typically American male crassness and disrespect of women - 'locker room talk.'" Anderson, whose bookThe Sensual Revolutionis due out in November, ruminates about her fear that "people might forget how to make love" and "women [are] faking orgasms more" possibly being tied to "how we deal with overpopulation."

In her latest post, Anderson announced her growing involvement with the Courage Foundation, an international trust raising funds for the legal defense of Chelsea Manning, Snowden, and Assange. She also addresses her relationship with Assange, writing that "it's no secret, he is one of my favorite people." And she asks Sweden to help Assange.

"It is only fair that Julian is set free and compensated and live the life he deserves as the UN ruling suggests," Anderson writes. "He is a good person who cares about the world. Everyone can see what has been done to him is wrong. He is a kind and deeply empathetic person. Uncompromising on principle. Something that is born out of his disposition to curiosity. Often the public image projects a harshness that is not at all what he is like in a relaxed and trusting environment. He's the good guy and I admire him greatly."

And of course, there are some weird ties to Russia Earlier this year, WikiLeaks published thousands of CIA documents - the largest agency dump in history. That came just two months after American intelligence reported a link between WikiLeaks and the Russian government's hack of the Democratic National Committee.So is Russian President Vladimir pulling Assange's strings? That is still up for debate, but no matter the answer, Anderson seems content moving closer to the Kremlin. Last December, Anderson attended a Moscow-held International Fund for Animal Welfare panel, where she professed her love for the Motherland. "I love Russia," said Anderson, whose mother is a "little bit" Russian. "I think that Russians really get things done. I have a Canadian passport and an American passport. I would gladly have a Russian passport. It would be great. It would be easier to get here."

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Pam Anderson and Julian Assange Rumored Romance: What We Know - RollingStone.com

Signs outside the Ecuadorean embassy in London where Julian Assange is living. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA/Rex/Shutterstock

Ecuadors president-elect, Lenn Moreno, has warned Julian Assange not to meddle in the countrys politics after the WikiLeaks founder taunted a rival candidate following his loss.

Morenos election victory on Sunday was a relief for Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuadors London embassy since 2012 to avoid arrest.

The socialist president-elects conservative rival, Guillermo Lasso, had vowed to kick Assange out of the embassy.

But Moreno had some stern words after Assange took to Twitter to celebrate Lassos loss.

Mr Julian Assange must respect the condition [of asylum] he is in and not meddle in Ecuadoran politics, Moreno said at a news conference.

As results showed Lasso losing on election night, Assange turned around the rightwing candidates threat to expel him within 30 days.

I cordially invite Lasso to leave Ecuador within 30 days [with or without his tax haven millions], Assange tweeted a reference to allegations the ex-banker has money stashed in offshore accounts.

Assange fled to the embassy to avoid arrest and extradition to Sweden, where he faces a rape allegation.

The 45-year-old Australian denies the allegation and says he fears Sweden would send him to the United States to face trial for leaking hundreds of thousands of secret US military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

Ecuadors outgoing president, Rafael Correa, a fiery critic of the US, granted Assange asylum and Moreno has vowed to uphold it.

Assanges case has returned to the spotlight since WikiLeaks was accused of meddling in the 2016 US election by releasing a damaging trove of hacked emails from presidential candidate Hillary Clintons campaign and her Democratic party.

That created an awkward situation for the Ecuadorean government, which responded by temporarily restricting Assanges internet access.

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Julian Assange warned to keep out of Ecuador's politics by new president - The Guardian

Former Baywatch star Pamela has grown close to the WikiLeaks founder

PAMELA Anderson left little to the imagination as she put on a busty display in a floral dress while attending a party at Alberts club in Kensington on Monday night.

Her night out came after the Baywatch star paid a visit to Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

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The blonde beauty has grown close to the WikiLeaks founder in recent months and recently spoke about how hes one of her favourite people.

Pamela is rumoured to be more than just friends with the45-year-old, who has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy for the past five years where he has been holed-up since 2012 fighting extradition to Sweden on rape charges.

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The 49-year-old made sure all eyes were on her as she attended the Coco de Mer launch party on Monday night.

Known for her famous curves, Pamela put on a sexy display in a blue floral number which accentuated her ample cleavage.

The fitted corset-style top accentuated her tiny waist while the tiered skirt added a demure finish to her look.

She paired the dress with some sparkling white stilettos and accessorised with large diamond earrings.

Splash News

Fame Flynet

It looks like Pamela had a good time at the swanky bash as she sipped champagne and danced with a scantily clad singer.

Her night out came after she was pictured paying Julian another visit at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

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AP:Associated Press

She looked polished in a figure-hugging houndstooth skirt and crop top and a white coat draped over her shoulders.

In a recent blog post entitled My Julian, Pamela wrote: My relationship with Julian its no secret. He is one of my favourite people and he might be the most famous, most politicised refugee of our time.

Famous for being persecuted is not a position of power but a position of vulnerability. I am concerned.

Julian is a human being who is extremely empathetic and cares deeply about the world. And because of his work he has made some powerful enemies in a few countries, America especially, by exposing them.

In an exclusive chat with Sun Online Carol insisted her very intelligent daughter was interested in the controversial figure because he is very smart.

Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220

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Pamela Anderson's boobs defy gravity in floral dress as she parties after visiting rumoured boyfriend Julian Assange ... - The Sun

The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, is one of the beneficiaries of a Presidential election in Ecuador on Sunday, where results show leftist Lenin Moreno is poised to eke out a narrow victory.

The election outcome is important for Assange because Ecuador is sheltering him in its embassy in London. The South American country's offer of sanctuary has allowed Assange to avoid facing rape allegations in Sweden, and possible extradition to the United States, which is investigating him for publishing classified security secrets.

This arrangement, however, has been in jeopardy since the conservative candidate in the election, Guillermo Lasso, vowed to evict Assange from the embassy within 30 days if he won the vote. But as of Monday morning, Moreno reportedly held a 51-49 percent lead, and appeared headed to victory even as Lasso's supporters took to the streets to complain of fraud.

In response to Lasso's apparent victory, Assange took to Twitter to taunt the conservative candidate, suggesting he should leave Ecuador:

The outcome means Assange is poised to remain holed up for the foreseeable future in London, where he continues to publish sensitive documents through the Wikileaks operation.

Wikileaks continues to be a thorn in the side of the U.S. intelligence community, releasing sensitive documents related to surveillance methods by the FBI and NSA, and criticizing the country's political leaders.

Meanwhile, Assange himself has come under growing suspicion that he has been acting as an agent of the Russian government, including by releasing emails damaging to the Hillary Clinton campaign during the U.S. Presidential election.

As for the rape accusations , Swedish prosecutors are still seeking to execute a warrant for Assange's arrest, which could lead to formal criminal charges.

Sweden brought the allegations in 2010, accusing Assange of crimes related to sexual assault. Prosecutors had to drop two of the more minor charges in August of 2015, however, after a statute of limitations had expired. But they have until 2020 to bring criminal charges on the more serious allegation of rape.

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Julian Assange Dodges Eviction After Ecuador Election - Fortune

As 15 million Ecuadorians took to the polls on Sunday to decide who will become the 44th president, they were also deciding the fate of someone very cute thousands of miles away one of Londons most powerful pets, Embassy Cat.

A gift to the WikiLeaks founder from his children in May 2016, he's sought refuge in Ecuadorian Embassy in Knightsbridge ever since (rumours that Pamela Anderson was visiting him and not Assange remain unconfirmed). Former bankerGuillermo Lassohad vowed to politely ask Assange to leave, as the embassy's house guest'spresence has been a burden that Ecuadorian taxpayers have had to shoulder since 2012.

But after one of the closest fought elections in the country's history, it looks like the status quo will be maintained as the ruling party's candidate Lenin Moreno has won just over 51 percent of the vote, based on 99 percent of votes counted. Which means that the super cute moggy won't have to pack up histiny red tie in a cat-sized suitcase just yet.

Read all about it: the political animals who stalk the halls of Westminster.

Miriam Bouteba writes for Time Out London when shes not being distracted by something shiny

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Looks like Embassy Cat and Julian Assange are staying in the Ecuadorian Embassy - Time Out London (blog)

LONDON There was much confusion Thursday when Nigel Farage was spotted by BuzzFeed leaving the Ecuadorian Embassy in London the residence of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Asked why he was there, Farage replied that he couldn't remember what he was doing in the building, adding, "I never discuss where I go or who I see."

Emails leaked to Business Insider, however, reveal that UKIP under Farage's leadership had long-standing links to Assange.

In February 2011, after a European Arrest Warrant had been issued in a case in which prosecutors sought to question Assange in connection with a sexual-assault allegation, UKIP repeatedly reached out to Assange to see how they could work together. Assange has not been charged in the case.

The office of UKIP MEP Gerard Batten contacted Assange's lawyer Mark Stephens about "the possibility of meeting Mr Julian Assange."

They added: "So far, UKIP London has been only British political party to openly support Mr Assange fight against EAW and his freedom of speech, and we would very much like to continue doing so."

Leaked minutes of a subsequent meeting between Batten and Stephens reveal that Batten promised to table a motion in support of the WikiLeaks founder in the European Parliament. The party also offered the opportunity of a joint video press conference in Brussels.

The Farage-led Europe of Freedom and Democracy group subsequently tabled a motion attacking "the possible abuse of the European Arrest Warrant for political purposes."

Sitting alongside Farage, Batten called for the Parliament to debate Assange's arrest warrant.

"Is the Assange case about the alleged crimes committed or is it about the desire of America to extradite him from a compliant European country?" Batten asked MEPs.

When the European Parliament denied the chance for a debate on Assange, Batten later called them "contemptible."

In an appearance on the Russian state broadcaster Russia Today, Batten also labelled the attempts to extradite Assange as a "legalised kidnap."

A month later, the party organised a House of Lords event on the European Arrest Warrant with Assange's lawyer as the star guest.

Senior UKIP figures including Farage and Steven Woolfe met with potential UKIP donors and journalists to speak out against the warrant.

One leaked email, sent by Farage's former assistant Annabelle Fuller, suggests that he spoke with Assange's lawyer at the event.

The Trump Connection

Farage has also advocated on behalf of Assange since WikiLeaks' involvement in the US presidential election.

Speaking on his LBC radio show in January, Farage repeated Assange's denial of Russian involvement in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Democratic presidential nominee Hilary Clinton during the election.

"Julian Assange ... is absolutely clear that all the information he has got is not from Russian sources," Farage said.

The question of Farage's trip to meet Assange was raised at a White House press conference on Thursday.

The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, was asked whether Farage had visited Assange "on behalf" of Trump. Spicer did not answer the question, saying only that "I don't keep [Farage's] schedule. I generally don't worry about what's going on across the pond."

A representative for Farage was contacted for comment.

More from Business Insider: 'It is amazing that I even have to ask this question': Top Republican senator asks Sessions if he thinks Assange broke the law Ecuador's presidential election could have big consequences for the fate of Wikileaks Julian Assange Pence used an AOL email for official business

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Leaked emails reveal Trump ally Nigel Farage's long-standing links to Julian Assange - AOL

She said: "I met Julian through Vivienne Westwood. We mixed up our dates - I ended up at the embassy on the wrong day but was able to meet with Julian privately. I asked him how he thought I could be more effective as an activist. We came up with tenure to support relentless activism - giving activists tenure and cover basic needs so that they continue their great work while being able to provide for themselves and their families wherever they may be in the world.

"Since then I feel a genuine closeness to Julian. I have had more stimulating conversation with this man than all my ex-husbands and lovers combined. Our intentions were not to become romantic, but to join forces. The rumours are flattering. I think I might have what it takes to be an effective First Lady. If I had to choose a World Leader to stand beside and support whole heartedly it would be Julian Assange."

And now Pamela has accused Australia of "failing to exercise diplomatic protection" over Julian, who runs the whistleblowing organisation WikiLeaks.

In a post on her official website, she added: "Australian's must not forget. They have a fellow citizen trapped in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London who has not been able to go outside, feel the sunshine, hug his children or see his mother for four and a half years. He has been detained for 6 years ...

"The Julian Assange Case is incredibly complex. Australia has failed to exercise diplomatic protection over Julian, an Australian Citizen, refusing him the most basic assistance.

Australia is now seeking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council at a time when Julian, an Australian citizen, has been found to be arbitrarily detained by the UK and Sweden. An unlawful status under international law - and Australia is doing nothing about it. Australia's failure led to Ecuador's decision to grant Asylum to Julian."

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Pamela Anderson is "flattered" by rumours she is dating Julian Assange - NZCity