Comment on the Assange case
“I fully respect the court’s decision. They had to take a position on a difficult assessment issue, which I considered should be examined by a court”, says Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson.
“The investigation continues with interviews in Sweden. I will also issue a European Investigation Order in order to interview Julian Assange. No date has been set yet. We will constantly review the state of the investigation.”, says Eva-Marie Persson.
Press Service
+46 10 562 50 20
Further information
European Investigation Order
European Arrest Warrant
Press releases
-
The Investigation Against Julian Assange is Discontinued
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding Julian Assange. The reason for this decision is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question.
Read moreDeputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding Julian Assange. The reason for this decision is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question.
The preliminary investigation concerning allegations against Julian Assange was resumed on 13 May 2019 after Assange left the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The investigation relates to a suspected rape committed in August 2010. A number of investigative measures have been conducted since May, largely in the form of witness interviews. The preliminary investigation has now been discontinued, the motive for which is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question. "I would like to emphasise that the injured party has submitted a credible and reliable version of events. Her statements have been coherent, extensive and detailed; however, my overall assessment is that the evidential situation has been weakened to such an extent that that there is no longer any reason to continue the investigation," says Eva-Marie Persson, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution. Background In 2010, being suspected of committing sexual offences in Sweden, Julian Assange fled to the United Kingdom, eventually taking up residency in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he remained from 19 June 2012 until 11 April 2019. In 2017, the public prosecutor responsible for the case at that time discontinued the investigation, as the prosecutor had exhausted all possibilities to make progress. After Assange’s removal from the embassy in spring 2019, the investigation was reopened at the request of the counsel for the injured party in Sweden. Translation of the prosecutor's decision (pdf). Chronology of the case (link). Case number at Uppsala District Court: B 3167-19. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20
Read more -
Invitation to a Press Conference on the Assange Case
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson will hold a press conference on the Assange case on 19 November 2019.
Read moreDeputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson will hold a press conference on the Assange case on 19 November 2019.
On 11 April 2019, the counsel for the injured party requested the Swedish preliminary investigation concerning rape to be resumed. The case has been handled by Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson at the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s Development Centre in Gothenburg. At the press conference, the prosecutor will inform about the investigative measures taken and provide new information. The press conference will take place 19 November at 2 pm, at Folkets Hus, Barnhusgatan 12-14, Stockholm, room 300. Entrance no earlier than 1:30 pm. Please note only accredited journalists can attend. Bring your press ID or certificate from editorial staff. Sign up at [email protected] by 19 November at 8 am at the latest. The prosecutor’s presentation will be interpreted from Swedish to English. There will be opportunities for group interviews after the presentation. Questions will also be interpreted from Swedish to English, and vice versa, if needed. For further information about the case, see https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-matter/ Contact Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20 Press Manager Annika Collin, +46 10 562 50 15 Press Officer Anna Knöfel Magnusson, +46 10 562 51 99
Read more -
One Person Detained for Crime in Iran Against International Law
An Iranian citizen has today been detained by Stockholm District Court, on probable cause suspected of crime in Iran against international law, gross crime, and murder during the period of 28 July – 31 August 1988 in Teheran, Iran.
Read moreAn Iranian citizen has today been detained by Stockholm District Court, on probable cause suspected of crime in Iran against international law, gross crime, and murder during the period of 28 July – 31 August 1988 in Teheran, Iran.
The prosecutor responsible for the investigation is Senior Public Prosecutor Karolina Wieslander at the National Unit Against Organised Crime. On 11 December, at the latest, the prosecutor needs to decide whether or not to indict the person in question. Case number in Stockholm District Court: B 15255-19. Press Service +46 10 562 50 20
Read more -
Prosecution for Refugee Espionage Brought Against a Detained Person
A 46-year-old Swedish-Iraqi citizen has today been prosecuted for refugee espionage at Stockholm District Court. The prosecutor is available to the media.
Read moreA 46-year-old Swedish-Iraqi citizen has today been prosecuted for refugee espionage at Stockholm District Court. The prosecutor is available to the media.
The man is indicted for, during the period April 2015 to February 2019, collecting personal information about opposition Iranians belonging to the Ahwazi community with the intention of conveying the information to the government of Iran. “I have prosecuted the man for, under cover of representing an Arabic evening paper, having photographed and filmed Ahwazi conference delegates and demonstration participants in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden. He is also claimed to have infiltrated Ahwazi fora on the internet and thus obtained opposition persons’ addresses and telephone numbers,” says Senior Public Prosecutor Hans-Jörgen Hanström. The man is also prosecuted for having photographed car registration plates and log-on information for routers, during home visits. The prosecutor states that part of the information has been conveyed to representatives of the Iranian intelligence service via the internet or at personal meetings, including in Teheran. The man who has been prosecuted denies the offence. The preliminary investigation report is quite extensive, some 1,700 pages, and parts of it is confidential. The preliminary investigation was performed by the National Security Unit at The Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish Security Service. Crime classification: Illegal intelligence activities against persons, serious offence. Proceedings in the district court are estimated to take nine days. Case number at Stockholm District Court: B 2890-19. Contact: Senior Public Prosecutor, Hans-Jörgen Hanström, is available to the media today Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm on +46 (0)10 562 53 85. Press Service +46 10 562 50 20
Read more -
Case Update Concerning Synthetic Trachea
Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk provides a brief case update on the preliminary investigation concerning the two patients, now deceased, who had a synthetic trachea surgically implanted.
Read moreDirector of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk provides a brief case update on the preliminary investigation concerning the two patients, now deceased, who had a synthetic trachea surgically implanted.
On 11 December 2018, Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk took the decision to reopen a discontinued preliminary investigation concerning a surgeon previously employed at Karolinska University Hospital. The suspected crime was a gross offence of causing bodily harm. The preliminary investigation is still underway and has taken longer than expected. During the course of the resumed preliminary investigation, investigative measures have been taken both in Sweden and abroad. About 20 interviews have been carried out and additional interviews of, for example, the suspected surgeon are to be conducted. “The material in the preliminary investigation is very extensive. The final serving to the surgeon and his public counsel is going to take a long time and therefore this process has already commenced even though not all investigative measures have yet been taken. At the moment, it is too early to say when a decision regarding the charge can be taken since it depends on the result of the remaining investigative measures. Our aim is that a decision can be made during the first quarter of next year,” says Director of Public Prosecutions Mikael Björk. Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk is not available to the media. Any new information will be made public via a press release. Press Service +46 10 562 50 20
Read more - More press releases