Ecuador’s president has said Julian Assange will be questioned at the embassy where he has been holed up for more than three years over allegations of sex assault.
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Announcing a breakthrough in the case, the country’s president said a deal had been struck with Swedish prosecutors that will see the founder of the whistleblowing website quizzed about the criminal claims, without leaving the building.
Ecuador also suggested that its officials conduct the interview with Mr Assange and asked Swedish prosecutors for a list of questions. The questions relate to accusations of sexual assault made by two women.
The 44-year-old Australian refuses to travel to Sweden to answer the allegation, saying he fears he would then face extradition to the United States and trial over the leaking of hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents in 2010.
Assange sought protection in Ecuador’s embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is alleged to have committed the sex offences while on a visit.
But Mr Assange has said in the past that he would welcome being questioned at the embassy.
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August 2015 – Swedish prosecutors drop their investigation into two allegations – one of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion because they have run out of time to question him. The foreign minister reiterated to teleSUR Ecuador’s respect for the Swedish legal system.
