News Digest

Sweden to drop Assange sex assault probe as deadline expires

Swedish prosecutors are set to drop a sexual assault probe against Julian Assange on Thursday when the case reaches its expiration date without investigators having succeeded in questioning the WikiLeaks founder. Two of the four allegations against Assange – who has been holed up at Ecuador’s London embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition – are reaching their statute of limitations after five years. The accusations involve one count of sexual assault and another of unlawful coercion. A separate allegation of sexual molestation will run out on August 18.

Normally, these kinds of negotiations simply take time. This is nothing you do in a hurry.

Cecilia Riddselius, a senior Swedish justice ministry official.

The 44-year-old Australian can still however be prosecuted for the more serious claim of rape, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations and expires in 2020. Assange denies the allegations against him, brought by two Swedish women, and insists the sexual encounters were consensual. Under Swedish law, if a suspect is not questioned before the deadline expires, they can no longer be tried for the alleged crimes. Despite repeated attempts, prosecutors have been unable to gain access to Ecuador’s embassy.