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Things to know about how Julian Assange and US prosecutors arrived at a plea deal to end his case
Read full article: Things to know about how Julian Assange and US prosecutors arrived at a plea deal to end his caseThe plea deal resulting in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's freedom was the culmination of a lengthy negotiation process that accelerated in recent months and featured numerous proposals and counterproposals.
The Saipan surprise: How delicate talks led to the unlikely end of Julian Assange's 12-year saga
Read full article: The Saipan surprise: How delicate talks led to the unlikely end of Julian Assange's 12-year sagaThe abrupt guilty plea by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was the culmination of negotiations that began a year and a half ago and accelerated in recent months.
Julian Assange is now free to do or say whatever he likes. What does his future hold?
Read full article: Julian Assange is now free to do or say whatever he likes. What does his future hold?One of the most polarizing and influential figures of the information age, Julian Assange is now free after five years in a British prison and seven years in self-imposed exile in a London embassy.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia a free man after US legal battle ends
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to Australia a free man after US legal battle endsWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has returned to his homeland Australia after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets.
Who is Julian Assange, the polarizing founder of the secret-spilling website WikiLeaks?
Read full article: Who is Julian Assange, the polarizing founder of the secret-spilling website WikiLeaks?Before he emerged as an eccentric internet publisher of state secrets, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange experienced an itinerant childhood and attended dozens of schools, becoming a computer hacker as a teenager.
Australian leaders cautiously welcome expected plea that could bring WikiLeaks founder Assange home
Read full article: Australian leaders cautiously welcome expected plea that could bring WikiLeaks founder Assange homeAustralian leaders are cautiously welcoming an expected plea agreement that could set free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
WikiLeaks’ Assange pleads guilty to publishing US military secrets in deal that secures his freedom
Read full article: WikiLeaks’ Assange pleads guilty to publishing US military secrets in deal that secures his freedomWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to time already served in Britain as part of a plea agreement with the U.S. Justice Department that secures his freedom.
What to know about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the guilty plea that freed him
Read full article: What to know about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the guilty plea that freed himThe guilty plea by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange brings a stunning end to a long-running saga of international intrigue that spanned multiple continents and has had as its central character a quixotic internet publisher with a disdain for government secrets.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty in deal with US and be freed from prison
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty in deal with US and be freed from prisonWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that will resolve a long-running legal saga over the publication of a trove of classified documents.
WikiLeaks founder Assange wins right to appeal against an extradition order to the US
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Assange wins right to appeal against an extradition order to the USA British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal against an order that he be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange facing pivotal moment in long fight to stay out of US court
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange facing pivotal moment in long fight to stay out of US courtWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces what could be his final court hearing in England over whether he should be extradited to the United States to face spying charges.
Wife of Julian Assange says Biden's comments mean case could be moving in the right direction
Read full article: Wife of Julian Assange says Biden's comments mean case could be moving in the right directionThe wife of Julian Assange says her husband’s legal case “could be moving in the right direction.”.
Biden says he's considering Australia's request to drop prosecution of Wikileaks founder Assange
Read full article: Biden says he's considering Australia's request to drop prosecution of Wikileaks founder AssangePresident Joe Biden says he's considering a request from Australia to drop the decade-long U.S. push to prosecute Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for publishing American classified documents.
UK court says Assange can't be extradited on espionage charges until US rules out death penalty
Read full article: UK court says Assange can't be extradited on espionage charges until US rules out death penaltyA British court says Julian Assange can’t be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges unless U.S. authorities guarantee he won’t get the death penalty.
A London court will rule on whether WikiLeaks founder Assange can challenge extradition to the US
Read full article: A London court will rule on whether WikiLeaks founder Assange can challenge extradition to the USA London court is due to rule whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can challenge extradition to the United States on espionage charges.
A London court will rule on Tuesday whether WikiLeaks’ Assange can challenge extradition to the US
Read full article: A London court will rule on Tuesday whether WikiLeaks’ Assange can challenge extradition to the USA London court is due to rule whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can challenge extradition to the United States on espionage charges.
WikiLeaks’ Assange faces wait to find out whether he can challenge extradition to the US
Read full article: WikiLeaks’ Assange faces wait to find out whether he can challenge extradition to the USJudges say WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange won’t find out until next month at the earliest whether can appeal extradition to the U.S. on spying charges.
WikiLeaks founder Assange faces his last legal roll of the dice in Britain to avoid US extradition
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Assange faces his last legal roll of the dice in Britain to avoid US extraditionJulian Assange’s lawyers have begun their final U.K. legal challenge to stop the WikiLeaks founder from being sent to the United States to face spying charges.
WikiLeaks founder Assange may be near the end of his long fight to stay out of the US
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Assange may be near the end of his long fight to stay out of the USWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing what could be his final court hearing in England over whether he should be extradited to the United States to face spying charges.
Australian Parliament wants WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange back home, not sent to US
Read full article: Australian Parliament wants WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange back home, not sent to USAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he hopes for an amicable end to the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after lawmakers pssing a motion calling for the Australian citizen to be allowed to return to his home country.
John Pilger, Australia-born journalist and filmmaker known for covering Cambodia, dies at 84
Read full article: John Pilger, Australia-born journalist and filmmaker known for covering Cambodia, dies at 84An Australia-born journalist and documentary filmmaker known for his coverage of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia has died.
Australia's prime minister stands firm against the US on WikiLeaks founder's prosecution
Read full article: Australia's prime minister stands firm against the US on WikiLeaks founder's prosecutionAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government is standing firm against the United States over the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
US Secretary of State tells Australia that WikiLeaks founder is accused of 'very serious' crime
Read full article: US Secretary of State tells Australia that WikiLeaks founder is accused of 'very serious' crimeU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
Australian prime minister says he is working effectively to free WikiLeaks founder
Read full article: Australian prime minister says he is working effectively to free WikiLeaks founderAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he is working in the “most effective way possible” to secure the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
In London, Brazil's Lula calls for efforts to free Assange
Read full article: In London, Brazil's Lula calls for efforts to free AssangeAfter attending the coronation of King Charles III in London, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denounced the lack of concerted efforts to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has spent four years in Britain’s Belmarsh Prison.
US invites Mexico to join semiconductor production effort
Read full article: US invites Mexico to join semiconductor production effortA high-level United States delegation invited Mexico to participate in a push to shift semiconductor production from Asia to North America and expand production of electric vehicles.
Mexico agrees to invest $1.5B in 'smart' border technology
Read full article: Mexico agrees to invest $1.5B in 'smart' border technologyMexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador has agreed during meetings with President Joe Biden to spend $1.5 billion over the next two years to improve “smart” border technology.
Julian Assange appeals to UK court against extradition to US
Read full article: Julian Assange appeals to UK court against extradition to USWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has appealed against the British’s government decision last month to order his extradition to the U.S. The appeal was filed Friday at the High Court.
Australian leader refuses to publicly intervene on Assange
Read full article: Australian leader refuses to publicly intervene on AssangeAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected calls for him to publicly demand the United States drop its prosecution of WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen Julian Assange.
Boris Johnson criticized after protesters harass Starmer
Read full article: Boris Johnson criticized after protesters harass StarmerBritish leader Boris Johnson is refusing to retract his claim that a political opponent helped a sex abuser evade justice, after protesters echoed the allegation during an ugly street confrontation.
Assange wins first stage in effort to appeal US extradition
Read full article: Assange wins first stage in effort to appeal US extraditionWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has won the first stage of his effort to overturn a U.K. ruling that opened the door for his extradition to U.S. to stand trial on espionage charges.
Assange lawyer dismisses US promises over extradition
Read full article: Assange lawyer dismisses US promises over extraditionA lawyer defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has argued that promises offered by the U.S. government that he would not be subjected to harsh prison conditions if he is extradited to face American justice are not enough to address concerns about his fragile mental health and high risk of suicide.
US says Assange could go to Australian prison if convicted
Read full article: US says Assange could go to Australian prison if convictedThe U.S. government has asked Britain’s High Court to overturn a judge’s decision that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be sent to the United States to face espionage charges.
US granted more grounds to appeal on Assange extradition
Read full article: US granted more grounds to appeal on Assange extraditionBritain’s High Court has granted U.S. authorities permission to expand their grounds for appealing an earlier U.K. court decision to block the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, where he is wanted on espionage charges.
UK court allows US to appeal denial of Assange's extradition
Read full article: UK court allows US to appeal denial of Assange's extraditionBritain’s High Court has granted the U.S. government permission to appeal a decision that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange cannot be sent to the United States to face espionage charges.
Justice Department sues Roger Stone over $2M in unpaid taxes
Read full article: Justice Department sues Roger Stone over $2M in unpaid taxesThe Justice Department has sued Donald Trump's ally Roger Stone, accusing the conservative provocateur and his wife of failing to pay nearly $2 million in income tax.
AP Sources: El Salvador president snubs visiting Biden envoy
Read full article: AP Sources: El Salvador president snubs visiting Biden envoyAides to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele say he's refused to meet with a visiting senior U.S. diplomat over what he sees as a pattern of slights from Democrats and the Biden administration.
El Salvador kept paying DC lobbyist after claim he was fired
Read full article: El Salvador kept paying DC lobbyist after claim he was firedIn this image take from UNTV video, Nayib Armando Bukele, President of El Salvador, speaks in a pre-recorded video message during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at U.N. headquarters in New York. The tweet was widely shared in El Salvador. More recently, Stryk teamed up with another DC firm, Rational 360, which is run by veteran Democratic operatives including Joe Lockhart. El Salvador in October hired Rational 360 for $65,000 per month. Bukele’s government has also awarded a $780,000 contract to a newly formed U.S.-based entity called Invest El Salvador.
WikiLeaks founder Assange denied bail in UK
Read full article: WikiLeaks founder Assange denied bail in UKA Julian Assange supporter reacts outside the Westminster Magistrates Court after Julian Assange was denied bail at a hearing in the court in London, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. On Monday Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the US. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)LONDON – A British judge on Wednesday denied bail to WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange, ordering him to remain in a high-security prison while U.K. courts decide whether he will be sent to the United States to face espionage charges. It is illogical.”Several dozen Assange supporters gathered outside London's Westminster Magistrates' Court, shouting “Free Assange.” Police said seven people were arrested for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules. In 2012, Assange jumped bail and sought refuge inside the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he was beyond the reach of U.K. and Swedish authorities — but also effectively was a prisoner in the tiny diplomatic mission.
UK judge refuses US extradition of WikiLeaks founder Assange
Read full article: UK judge refuses US extradition of WikiLeaks founder AssangeA British judge has rejected the United States request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage charges, saying it would be oppressive because of his mental health. "I find that the mental condition of Mr. Assange is such that it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America," the judge said. Lawyers for the U.S. government said they would appeal the decision, and the U.S. Department of Justice said it would continue to seek Assange’s extradition. “While we are extremely disappointed in the court’s ultimate decision, we are gratified that the United States prevailed on every point of law raised," it said in a statement. “We hope that after consideration of the U.K. court’s ruling, the United States will decide not to pursue the case further," he said.
UK judge to rule on US extradition for WikiLeaks' Assange
Read full article: UK judge to rule on US extradition for WikiLeaks' AssangeWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will find out Monday Jan. 4, 2021, whether he can be extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. to face espionage charges over the publication of secret American military documents. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)LONDON – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will find out Monday whether he can be extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. to face espionage charges over the publication of secret American military documents. U.S. prosecutors indicted the 49-year-old Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse that carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison. His legal team argued that Assange would, if extradited, likely face solitary confinement that would put him at a heightened risk of suicide. Assange and his legal team will be hoping that developments in the U.S. bring an end to his ordeal if the judge grants the U.S. extradition request.
Julian Assange’s partner appeals to Trump to pardon him
Read full article: Julian Assange’s partner appeals to Trump to pardon himLONDON – Julian Assange’s partner, Stella Moris, has tweeted President Donald Trump on Thanksgiving, appealing to him to pardon the WikiLeaks founder. Moris posted a photo of their two young children on Twitter Thursday and wrote: “These are Julian’s sons Max and Gabriel. Assange, 49, remains in a high-security British prison cell as he awaits a judge's decision about whether he can be sent to the U.S. to face espionage charges. U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of secret American military documents a decade ago. He has been in a London prison since April 2019.
Assange to hear judge's verdict on US extradition on Jan 4
Read full article: Assange to hear judge's verdict on US extradition on Jan 4A demonstrator holds a banner outside the Old Bailey in London, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, as the Julian Assange extradition hearing to the US continues. The judge has previously denied Assange bail over fears he is a flight risk. Assange jumped bail in 2012 when he sought asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he ended up staying for seven years before being evicted and subsequently arrested. He has been in a London prison since April 2019. That will be followed two weeks later by the closing argument of lawyers acting on behalf of the U.S. government, and a subsequent response a few days later from Assange's team.
Assange bugged while at Ecuadorian Embassy, UK court told
Read full article: Assange bugged while at Ecuadorian Embassy, UK court toldLONDON – Julian Assange's conversations in the latter part of his 7-year stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London were systematically bugged, even in the toilet, a London court heard Wednesday. Assange lived in the embassy for seven years from 2012 after seeking refuge there while fearing his potential extradition to the U.S. The anonymous witnesses both claimed that Morales said the surveillance was initiated at the behest of “our American friends" and that he had been handsomely rewarded. “All of these suggestions Morales said were under consideration during his dealing with his contacts in the United States,” the witness said. “I used a nearby socket to conceal a microphone in a cable in the toilet in the back of the embassy,” the witness said.
Assange 'binge-watched' suicide of ex-Bosnian Croat general
Read full article: Assange 'binge-watched' suicide of ex-Bosnian Croat generalLONDON – Julian Assange relayed how he “binge-watched” the suicide of the former Bosnian Croat general in a U.N. courtroom three years ago, a doctor who visited the WikiLeaks founder on several occasions while he was in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London told an extradition hearing Thursday. Psychologist Nigel Blackwood, who assessed Assange at Belmarsh, rebutted defense experts on the extent of Assange’s condition, saying his suicide risk was “manageable." “I think there is some risk of suicide but that risk has to be carefully managed at Belmarsh," he said. Blackwood noted that Assange has been “highly functioning to a very high level in running a very successful organization." “I think there is some risk of suicide attempt linked to extradition, but not substantial risk,” he told the court.
Assange lawyer says Trump offered deal to avoid extradition
Read full article: Assange lawyer says Trump offered deal to avoid extraditionSupporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a protest outside the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, in London, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. The London court hearing on Assange's extradition from Britain to the United States resumed Monday after a COVID-19 test on one of the participating lawyers came back negative, WikiLeaks said Friday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)LONDON – A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has told a London court that her client was indirectly offered a “win-win” deal by President Donald Trump that would see him avoid extradition to the U.S. if he revealed the source of a leak of documents from the Democratic Party before the 2016 election. James Lewis, a lawyer acting on behalf of the U.S. government, said it wasn't contesting that “these things” were said. Assange has been in a British prison since his ejection from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in April 2019.
Lawyer says Assange charged under broad, contentious US law
Read full article: Lawyer says Assange charged under broad, contentious US lawSupporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a protest outside the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, in London, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)LONDON – An American constitutional law expert said Thursday that the United States indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange under an “extraordinarily broad” spying law that has been used in the past for politically motivated prosecutions. Leaker Daniel Ellsberg faced 12 Espionage Act charges and faced up to 115 years in prison, but the charges were dismissed in 1973 because of government misconduct against him. He said it was not relevant to his analysis of the Espionage Act, and noted he was a very junior lawyer at the time. He disagreed with a suggestion by a prosecution lawyer that Assange took a “cavalier attitude” to redaction.
Pentagon Papers leaker comes to the defense of Assange
Read full article: Pentagon Papers leaker comes to the defense of AssangeHe told London's Central Criminal Court that the pair had very comparable political opinions. The dump, similarly coordinated at various stages with some of the world's leading newspapers, was arguably the biggest single leak since the Pentagon Papers four decades before. Like Assange, Ellsberg faced the prospect of decades, at least, in prison. He also said that Assange took great care not to willfully expose anyone to harm. Assange has been in a British prison since he was ejected from his refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in April 2019.
Assange court case to resume after COVID-19 false alarm
Read full article: Assange court case to resume after COVID-19 false alarmWikiLeaks said the case is now set to continue on Monday. Assange is fighting American prosecutors’ attempt to get the British government to send him to the U.S. to stand trial on spying charges. The extradition hearing at London’s Old Bailey criminal court is scheduled to last until early October. U.S. prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges over WikiLeaks’ publication of secret U.S. military documents a decade ago. Assange’s lawyers say the prosecution is a politically motivated abuse of power that will stifle press freedom and put journalists around the world at risk.
Assange extradition hearing paused over COVID-19 risk
Read full article: Assange extradition hearing paused over COVID-19 riskJulian Assange supporters protest outside the Old Bailey in London, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the U.S. government were squaring off in a London court on Monday at a high-stakes extradition case delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. American prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges over the WikiLeaks publication of secret U.S. military documents a decade ago. U.S. prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges over WikiLeaks publication of secret U.S. military documents a decade ago. The hearing started Monday at Londons Old Bailey criminal court and is scheduled to last about a month.
Assange told to stop interrupting witnesses at UK hearing
Read full article: Assange told to stop interrupting witnesses at UK hearingA billboard truck depicting Julian Assange drives past the Central Criminal Court Old Bailey in London, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. American prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges over Wikileaks' publication of secret U.S. military documents a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON A British judge told WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday that his extradition hearing will proceed without him if he continues to speak from the dock and interrupt witnesses. Vanessa Baraitser briefly adjourned the hearing at Londons Central Criminal Court after Assange interrupted defense witness Clive Stafford Smith, who was giving evidence. Assange is fighting an attempt by American prosecutors to extradite him to the U.S. to stand trial on spying charges.
Supporters gather for Assange court extradition showdown
Read full article: Supporters gather for Assange court extradition showdownPartner of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Stella Moris, holds up a Julian Assange press card outside the gates of Downing Street, in Westminster, London, after attempting to deliver a Reporters Without Borders petition against the extradition of her partner to the US. Lawyers for Assange and the U.S. government will face off in London on Monday at an extradition hearing that was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP)LONDON Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the U.S. government were squaring off in a London court on Monday at a high-stakes extradition case delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. Assanges lawyers say the prosecution is a politically motivated abuse of power that will stifle press freedom and put journalists around the world at risk. The WikiLeaks founder was due to be brought from Belmarsh Prison on the outskirts of London to court for the hearing.
Timeline of Julian Assange's legal battles over past decade
Read full article: Timeline of Julian Assange's legal battles over past decadeAugust 2010: Swedish prosecutors issue arrest warrant for Assange based on one womans allegation of rape and anothers allegation of molestation. November 2010: Swedish police issue an international arrest warrant for Assange. July 2014: Assange loses his bid to have an arrest warrant issued in Sweden against him canceled. May 1, 2019: Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail in 2012. June 25, 2020: US files new indictment against Assange that prosecutors say underscores Assanges efforts to procure and release classified information.
WikiLeaks' Assange to fight US extradition bid in UK court
Read full article: WikiLeaks' Assange to fight US extradition bid in UK courtFILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 file photo, demonstrators supporting Julian Assange hold banners outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London. Lawyers for Assange and the U.S. government are scheduled to face off in London Monday at an extradition hearing that was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. American prosecutors say Assange is a criminal, not a free-speech hero. The four-week extradition hearing is part of a twisting saga rife with competing claims of hacking, spying and subterfuge. The extradition hearing opened in February but was put on hold when the U.K. went into lockdown in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Former federal prosecutors discuss Trump’s commentary on Roger Stone’s case
Read full article: Former federal prosecutors discuss Trump’s commentary on Roger Stone’s caseRoger Stone, a Broward County resident and longtime confidant of President Donald Trump, was sentenced to more than three years in prison Thursday for obstructing a congressional investigation. Attorney General William Barr took a public swipe Thursday at President Donald Trump, saying that the presidents tweets about Justice Department prosecutors and cases make it impossible for me to do my job. Barr made the comment during an interview with ABC News just days after the Justice Department overruled its own prosecutors. they had initially recommended in a court filing that President Donald Trumps longtime ally and confidant Roger Stone be sentenced to 7 to 9 years in prison. During the 2016 campaign, Stone mentioned in interviews and public appearances that he was in contact with founder Julian Assange through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans.
Sweden drops rape investigation against Julian Assange
Read full article: Sweden drops rape investigation against Julian Assange(CNN) - Swedish authorities are ending their investigation into an allegation of rape against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the country's deputy chief prosecutor announced Tuesday. Deputy director of public prosecution Eva-Marie Persson made the announcement at a news conference in Stockholm on Tuesday. The investigation against Assange was reopened in May this year after Swedish authorities decided to suspend it in 2017. According to the Swedish prosecutor's office, a total of seven witness interviews were conducted as part of this investigation during the summer of 2019. The rape allegation was one of four sexual assault accusations that the Australian whistleblower faced after he visited Sweden in August 2010.