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Assange court ruling expected 'by midnight'

AFP/The Local
AFP/The Local - [email protected]
Assange court ruling expected 'by midnight'
Julian Assange at Ecuador's embassy in the UK. Photo: Anthony Devlin

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's appeal against the arrest warrant hanging over him is being considered by a court in Stockholm, with the chief prosecutor expected to report back before midnight.

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Assange's lawyers have lodged an appeal against the European Arrest Warrant hanging over him for allegations of rape and sexual molestation in Sweden.

The Svea Court of Appeal was expected to announce its decision as early as Friday, but The Local has learned that the chief prosecutor has until midnight on Monday October 27th to give her response.

If she accepts his appeal and lifts the arrest warrant, it could mean that Julian Assange is able to leave the Ecuadorian embassy where he has been holed up for the past two years since he was granted political asylum by Ecuador.

Last week, Assange commented on the upcoming development in his case.

"We will win because the law is very clear. My only hope is that the court is following the law and is not pressured politically to do anything outside of the law,"  he said via a video link screened at a human rights film festival in Barcelona on Wednesday.

Swedish prosecutors want to question the 43-year-old Australian over allegations made by two women in Sweden.

He could also face trial in the United States over WikiLeaks publishing a horde of sensitive military and diplomatic communications.

"As time goes by, political pressure decreases and understanding increases. So I am very confident I will not remain in this situation. I'm completely confident," Assange said.

Assange fears the warrant against him is aimed at eventually extraditing him from Sweden to the United States. Swedish prosecutors said last month that idea was "far-fetched".

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