Monday 13 May 2019 10:14 am | Updated: Wednesday 05 June 2019 8:57 am

Swedish prosecutors reopen rape case against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange

Swedish prosecutors this morning reopened the case of alleged rape against Wikileaks-founder Julian Assange.

Assange went into hiding in Ecuador's London embassy in 2012 after a British judge ordered his extradition to Sweden.

The alleged rape is said to have happened in August 2010 when Assange visited Enkoping in Sweden. The preliminary investigation was closed in 2017 because Assange was holed up in the embassy. Prosecutors now say they have reopened the case.

Prosecutor Eva-Marie Person cited "new circumstances" in her decision, pointing to a request from the plaintiff to reopen the preliminary investigation.

The Swedish decision comes just weeks after Assange was turfed out of the Ecuadorian embassy in April this year.

Assange is currently sitting in prison in the UK for breaking his bail conditions. He is also wanted in the US on computer hacking charges.

"There is still probable cause to suspect that Mr Assange committed rape of a lesser offence," Person said.

She added: "It is my opinion that a new interrogation should be held with Julian Assange."

These could be done by video-link while Assange is still in the UK, the prosecutor said.

Prosecutors now intend to ask a court to appoint a public defender and request him remanded in absentia. They will then issue a European arrest warrant, requesting his extradition to Sweden once he is released from UK prison.

The decision whether to extradite Assange to Sweden or the US first will be up to British courts, she said. Assange will not be further extradited from Sweden without the consent of British courts, she added, and Brexit will not impact the case.

Assange's Swedish lawyer Per Samuelson told Swedish broadcaster SVT he was "surprised" by the new revelations.

"I think that Sweden is embarrassing itself by reopening this case," he said, calling the prosecutor's decision to reopen the case "crazy."

Samuelson said he has not been in touch with Assange since he was locked up in the UK.