Sweden Declares Sexual Assault Charges Against Julian Assange Closed

On Friday, May 18, Sweden announced that it has closed the investigation against Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, regarding allegations of sexual assault. Nevertheless, British authorities stated that Assange's arrest warrant in the UK remains in effect. Reports indicate that Friday was the last deadline for the Swedish prosecution to extend Assange's arrest warrant or conclude the investigation. The announcement of the closure of the sexual assault charges comes after a Swedish court confirmed Assange's arrest warrant on September 17 of the previous year. Meanwhile, British officials stated that Julian Assange would be arrested if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy. However, according to Per Samuelson, Assange's lawyer, the closure of the sexual assault charges is considered a "complete victory" for his client. In response to the news, Julian Assange stated that he does not forgive or forget his imprisonment over the past seven years. The WikiLeaks founder added that during this time, his children grew up while he was accused of sexual assault. Additionally, Russian news agency TASS reported that Assange has requested political asylum from France, and his lawyer suggested that France should grant him political asylum. Meanwhile, Ecuador's Foreign Minister, Guillaume Long, called on the UK to guarantee Julian Assange's safe travel outside the country. Julian Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden. Assange, who is Australian, was pursued by the Swedish government on charges of "rape," which he has denied, claiming that extradition to Sweden is a pretext for him ultimately being sent to the United States. In the US, a legal case has been filed against Assange due to the revelations made by WikiLeaks, and if tried, he could face severe penalties. In this context, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions stated on April 29 that the arrest of the WikiLeaks founder is a priority for the country. Julian Assange last requested the cancellation of his arrest warrant following the publication of a UN investigative committee report in February 2016. The UN committee, composed of legal experts, stated that Assange's stay at the Ecuadorian embassy constitutes illegal detention, and he should be unconditionally released to leave the premises and receive compensation for the years he was denied the right to exit. WikiLeaks describes itself as an international non-profit organization that has been publishing tens of thousands of confidential documents from governments and security organizations worldwide, primarily from the US, since 2006 under Julian Assange's management. A few weeks ago, WikiLeaks published around eight thousand documents indicating that the CIA uses individuals' computers, mobile phones, and even smart TVs for infiltration and espionage. WikiLeaks claims its activities aim to defend and preserve civil liberties, but the US and various countries consider it a violator of laws and a factor in destabilizing the international environment. In this context, Mike Pompeo, the head of the CIA, described WikiLeaks as a "hostile intelligence service" and condemned the activities of this whistleblower group. Furthermore, the CIA chief deemed WikiLeaks a threat to US security. Ecuador cut off the internet of the WikiLeaks founder due to the US elections. US officials stated that Russia provided emails to WikiLeaks. A Swedish appeals court confirmed Julian Assange's arrest warrant. WikiLeaks published some hacked audio messages from the Democratic Party.