Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has filed an appeal against the Swedish warrant for his arrest, Swedish media reports. His lawyers are arguing that the prosecutors are acting “in gross breach of Swedish law.”
Assange's Swedish lawyer, Thomas Olssen, has claimed that the
Swedish court is not handling the case correctly.
“We argue against the district court's decision and believe
they do not properly take account of the situation,” Olssen
stated, according to Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet.
Assange's lawyers, who argue that Assange should be questioned by
Swedish police in London, argue that Sweden's prosecutor “is
in gross breach of Swedish law” for not making the journey
to London to interview Assange, the Guardian reported.
“Julian Assange has been kept under house arrest for two
years with no medical treatment, no sunshine, no family, no
nothing, and this harm should be taken into account when applying
Swedish law,” Per Samuelsson, a lawyer for Assange in
Stockholm, told the UK-based newspaper.
In July, a Swedish court upheld Assange’s arrest warrant after a
previous legal challenge from Assange’s lawyers which took place
in June.
The challenge was spurred by a change to Swedish criminal
proceedings regarding the right to information in criminal
procedures which brings the country in line with an EU directive.
Swedish Judge Lena Egelin was quick to dismiss the legal
challenge to Assange's arrest warrant and Assange remained
suspected “on probable cause” for rape, the less serious
crime of unlawful coercion and two cases of sexual molestation.
However, the judge noted that the decision could still be
appealed – as was done on Friday.
It is likely that a judge will make the decision next week as to
whether to hold an oral hearing or make a ruling on the case
based on existing documents, a spokesperson for the Stockholm
district court noted.
Samuelsson told the Guardian that the timing of the appeal was
not necessarily a coincidence; Sweden is in the midst of a tight
general election campaign and a change of government is possible.
Julian Assange entered London’s Ecuadorian Embassy in June 2012
after he was offered asylum by Caracas.
He has been holed up in the embassy since. The building is
watched around the clock by British police who are ready to place
him under arrest should he attempt to leave.
In August, Assange cryptically hinted, however, that he might
leave the embassy “soon”.
“I am leaving the embassy soon, but perhaps not for the
reasons [reported],” he told journalists at a press
conference, refusing to clarify the reasons.
Assange was scheduled to model for Vivienne Westwood at a fashion
show at the Ecuadorian Embassy this week, to be held as part of
London Fashion Week. However, he had to cancel on account of ill
health.
“Julian couldn't do the event this week due to ill
health,” a spokesperson for Westwood told The Independent on
Thursday.