Update: Swedish authorities have withdrawn their warrant for Julian Assange, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape,” chief prosecutor Eva Finne said in a short statement.
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Julian Assange, the founder of the controversial WikiLeaks website, is being accused with crimes of molestation and rape by Swedish authorities. The website is denying the allegations, saying that they are “without basis.”
Swedish authorities issued the warrant for Assange’s arrest late yesterday. While details are sparse, Sweden’s prosecutors’ office has said that Assange should contact the police “so that he can be confronted with the suspicions,” according to The Guardian.
Assange and WikiLeaks have responded though. “The charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing,” Assange stated in a tweet several hours ago.
Since then, the organization has issued an official statement:
“On Saturday 21st of August, we have been made aware of rape allegations made against Julian Assange, founder of this project and one of our spokespeople.
We are deeply concerned about the seriousness of these allegations. We the people behind WikiLeaks think highly of Julian and and he has our full support.
While Julian is focusing on his defenses and clearing his name, WikiLeaks will be continuing its regular operations.”
Swedish tabloid Expressen, which first reported the story, says the rape accusations revolve around two 20 to 30 year old women he recently met. Those reports are unconfirmed, though.
WikiLeaks rose to prominence last month when it leaked over 70,000 secret documents related to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. The leak has caused a firestorm of controversy. The Pentagon has already demanded the return of the Afghan war reports or it will find ways to “to compel them to do the right thing.” WikiLeaks recently pledged to release 15,000 more documents related to the Afghan war.
Assange was in Sweden last week to deliver a talk and to apply for a publishing certificate for WikiLeaks, according to media reports. The organization has servers in Sweden because of its laws protecting whistleblowers. It’s unclear where Assange, an Australian citizen, is currently.
[img credit: Markchew2010]
More About: julian assange, legal, Rape, sweden, wikileaks
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