Swedish court upholds detention order on WikiLeaks founder Assange

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