Assange Rape Probe Could Be Re-Opened by Swedish Prosecutors

(Bloomberg) -- The Swedish prosecutor reviewing whether to re-open a probe into rape allegations against Julian Assange will announce her decision next week.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson will hold a press conference on the Assange case on May 13, according to a statement from the Swedish Prosecution Authority on Thursday. The possible intervention could wreak havoc with U.S. attempts to extradite the WikiLeaks founder from Britain to face charges related to the disclosure of secret documents.

"At the press conference, the prosecutor will provide information about her decision, which will be formally made immediately before the press conference," the authority said.

Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010. He fought the extradition up to the U.K. Supreme Court, where he lost in 2012. While he was out on bail, Assange sought asylum in Ecuador’s embassy and as the years dragged on, Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation because it had become impossible to pursue the probe in his absence.

Assange was arrested by British police in April after being expelled from the embassy, and the counsel for the injured party then asked that the prosecutors resume the rape investigation.

The 47-year-old Australian faces American charges that he took part in a hacking conspiracy with ex-Army analyst Chelsea Manning to disclose classified government material.

To contact the reporter on this story: Niklas Magnusson in Stockholm at nmagnusson1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jonas Bergman at jbergman@bloomberg.net, ;Tasneem Hanfi Brögger at tbrogger@bloomberg.net, Anthony Aarons

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