Katie CammarataA district court in Sweden has denied prosecutors' request for an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
The Uppsala District Court said that since Assange is already serving a prison sentence in the U.K., it isn't necessary for Sweden to have him arrested. But "investigative measures" can still be taken using a European investigation order.
Swedish prosecutors reopened a case involving a sexual assault allegation against Assange last month and later requested a detention order.
Assange had been living at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012. He was avoiding extradition to Sweden for the sexual assault allegation. The case was later dropped, but then one of the accusers asked that the probe be opened again.
In April, Ecuador revoked Assange's asylum, and British authorities detained him on a U.S. extradition warrant and a U.K. warrant for failing to surrender to the court in 2012. The U.K. found Assange guilty of breaking bail conditions and sentenced him to 50 weeks in prison.
Assange's lawyer said he violated bail because he was afraid if he were extradited to Sweden, he'd also be extradited to the U.S. and potentially sent to Guantanamo Bay. Assange told the court he did what he thought was best at the time.
A U.S. federal grand jury has indicted Assange on 18 counts for his part in allegedly obtaining and publishing classified information. If convicted on those charges, he could face up to 10 years in prison on each count except for one.
Back in Sweden, the country's deputy director of public prosecution said Monday that she respects the court's decision. She said she would file a European investigation order to interview Assange. No date has been set.
