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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen in a police van after was arrested by British police outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Britain April 11, 2019.
Henry Nicholls | Reuters
Sweden's state prosecutor said on Monday she would reopen an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and seek his extradition from Britain.
Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson told a news conference she would continue and conclude a preliminary investigation that was dropped in 2017 without charges being brought as Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.
Assange was arrested in Britain last month after spending seven years inside the embassy. The United States is also seeking his extradition on charges relating to the public release by Wikileaks of a huge cache of secret documents.
The Swedish prosecutor's office said it would shortly request Assange be detained in his absence on probable cause for an allegation of rape and that it would issue a European arrest warrant - the process under which his extradition would be sought.
Assange is currently in prison in Britain after being sentenced to 50 weeks behind bars last month for jumping bail when he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy. The decision to reopen the investigation poses the question of whether Assange will be moved to the United States to face conspiracy charges for hacking into classified information or to Sweden.
"I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the US," Persson said.
The British courts will have to rule on any extradition request and Home Secretary Sajid Javid would decide which one takes precedence once Swedish prosecutors file theirs.
Nick Vamos, lawyer at London-based firm Peters & Peters and former head of extradition at Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, told Reuters before Monday's decision that he expected a Swedish request would take supremacy.
"In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority," a Swedish prosecutor's statement said.
Swedish prosecutors said on Monday they will reopen a rape case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, at the request of the alleged victim's lawyer.
Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson made the announcement at a news conference in Stockholm. She said that “there is still a probable cause to suspect that Assange committed a rape.”
Swedish prosecutors filed preliminary charges against Assange after he visited the country in 2010. Assange, who has denied the charges, has avoided extradition by seeking refuge in London's Ecuadorian embassy.
Seven years later, a case of alleged sexual misconduct was dropped when the statute of limitations expired. That left a rape allegation, which couldn't be pursued while Assange was living at the embassy. The statute of limitations on that case expires in August 2020.
Swedish prosecutors are set to announce whether they are reopening an inquiry into a rape allegation against Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange.
The investigation may be revived at the request of the alleged victim's lawyer.
Assange, who denies the charges, has avoided extradition to Sweden for seven years after seeking refuge at the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012.
But the 47-year-old was evicted last month and sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for breaching his bail conditions.
The US also wants to extradite Assange from the UK over his alleged role in the release of classified military and diplomatic material in 2010.
What happens now?
On Monday, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, will announce her decision on whether to revisit the sexual assault investigation after it was dropped two years ago.
Swedish prosecutors said at the time they felt they were unable to take the case forward while Assange was inside the Ecuadorean embassy.
However, the woman who made the allegation now wants the case reopened, and since Assange's arrest last month - Ecuador abruptly withdrew its protection and invited the police to arrest him - Swedish prosecutors have been considering their options.
Under Swedish law, they have until next year to pursue the case. If they do re-open the investigation, it is likely to raise the question of which extradition request should take precedence: that of Sweden or the US.
After his dramatic arrest last month, he was taken to Westminster Magistrates' Court and found guilty of a British charge of breaching bail. He is currently being held at Belmarsh prison in London.
The United Nations has called for his right to a fair trial to be respected during any extradition process.
What is the Swedish investigation about?
Assange was accused of rape and other sexual offences against two women following a Wikileaks conference in Stockholm in 2010. He has always denied the allegations, saying the sex was consensual.
He also faced investigations for molestation and unlawful coercion, but these cases were dropped in 2015 because time had run out.
Prosecutors have been re-examining the rape case to decide whether to resume it before the statute of limitations expires in August 2020.
She said: "No rape victim should have to wait nine years to see justice be served."
How does the extradition process work?
Lawyer Rebecca Niblock, who specialises in extradition cases, said decisions lie primarily with the courts and that only a judge can decide whether an extradition breaches an individual's human rights.
The home secretary can consider a limited number of issues when deciding whether or not to order an extradition, including whether the person is at risk of the death penalty.
However, if Sweden made an extradition request, Ms Niblock said it would be for the home secretary to decide which request would take precedence, considering factors such as the seriousness of the offence and which request was made first.
Nick Vamos, former head of extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service, said the UK proceedings should not take more than 18 months.
Considering Assange's potential objections to extradition, Mr Vamos said that he did not think courts would accept the US case was politically motivated.
But he said Assange may be able to argue that his likely treatment in the US prison system would breach his human rights and that could not receive a fair trial due to his notoriety and links to political scandals.
Swedish prosecutors are set to announce whether they are reopening an inquiry into a rape allegation against Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange.
The investigation may be revived at the request of the alleged victim's lawyer.
Assange, who denies the charges, has avoided extradition to Sweden for seven years after seeking refuge at the Ecuadorean embassy in London in 2012.
But the 47-year-old was evicted last month and sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for breaching his bail conditions.
The US also wants to extradite Assange from the UK over his alleged role in the release of classified military and diplomatic material in 2010.
What happens now?
On Monday, Sweden's deputy director of public prosecutions, Eva-Marie Persson, will announce her decision on whether to revisit the sexual assault investigation after it was dropped two years ago.
Swedish prosecutors said at the time they felt they were unable to take the case forward while Assange was inside the Ecuadorean embassy.
However, the woman who made the allegation now wants the case reopened, and since Assange's arrest last month - Ecuador abruptly withdrew its protection and invited the police to arrest him - Swedish prosecutors have been considering their options.
Under Swedish law, they have until next year to pursue the case. If they do re-open the investigation, it is likely to raise the question of which extradition request should take precedence: that of Sweden or the US.
After his dramatic arrest last month, he was taken to Westminster Magistrates' Court and found guilty of a British charge of breaching bail. He is currently being held at Belmarsh prison in London.
The United Nations has called for his right to a fair trial to be respected during any extradition process.
What is the Swedish investigation about?
Assange was accused of rape and other sexual offences against two women following a Wikileaks conference in Stockholm in 2010. He has always denied the allegations, saying the sex was consensual.
He also faced investigations for molestation and unlawful coercion, but these cases were dropped in 2015 because time had run out.
Prosecutors have been re-examining the rape case to decide whether to resume it before the statute of limitations expires in August 2020.
She said: "No rape victim should have to wait nine years to see justice be served."
How does the extradition process work?
Lawyer Rebecca Niblock, who specialises in extradition cases, said decisions lie primarily with the courts and that only a judge can decide whether an extradition breaches an individual's human rights.
The home secretary can consider a limited number of issues when deciding whether or not to order an extradition, including whether the person is at risk of the death penalty.
However, if Sweden made an extradition request, Ms Niblock said it would be for the home secretary to decide which request would take precedence, considering factors such as the seriousness of the offence and which request was made first.
Nick Vamos, former head of extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service, said the UK proceedings should not take more than 18 months.
Considering Assange's potential objections to extradition, Mr Vamos said that he did not think courts would accept the US case was politically motivated.
But he said Assange may be able to argue that his likely treatment in the US prison system would breach his human rights and that could not receive a fair trial due to his notoriety and links to political scandals.
Tensions have risen in the oil-rich region in recent weeks amid the deployment of a growing number of United States military assets to the Middle East due to deteriorating relations with Iran.
On Thursday, the US Maritime Administration issued an advisory warning that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting commercial vessels and oil production infrastructure in the region.
One of the two Saudi vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to customers in the US, Saudi Arabia's state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Monday.
While the agency didn't mention casualties or oil spills, it did say there had been "significant damage to the structures of the two vessels."
On Sunday, the UAE said that four commercial cargo ships were targeted by "sabotage operations" off its eastern coast. The apparent sabotage took place near to UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Sunday.
It is unclear if the ships mentioned by Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of the same incident.
The UAE ministry did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged sabotage, or offer any indication as to who might be responsible, including whether it was carried out by individuals or a larger group or country.
The UAE ministry said authorities were working with local and international bodies to investigate the incident, which it described as a "dangerous development." It said there were no injuries or deaths.
"The international community (needs to) assume its responsibilities to prevent any parties trying to undermine the security and safety of maritime traffic," the ministry said.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that the incidents were "alarming and regrettable," and requested further information on the alleged sabotage.
The Iran spokesman warned against "plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and called for "vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements."
Iran borders the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz.
In additional comments Monday, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the "acts of sabotage" and expressed solidarity with the UAE, the Saudi Press Agency reported, citing an official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The comments follow an earlier statement from Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih in which he described the attack as an attempt to "undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world."
UAE denies earlier reports
The accusations of sabotage come less than 24 hours after the UAE government denied reports alleging that seven oil tankers were involved in an explosion in the port of Fujairah on Sunday morning.
The reports were carried first by Lebanon's pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen satellite channel and later picked up by Iran's state-owned Press TV and other outlets.
"The operations at the port are going as normal," a statement from the Emirates News Agency said Sunday. "Media outlets must be responsible and rely on official sources."
Fujairah is located close to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
The US Energy Information Administration calls the Strait of Hormuz "the world's most important oil transit chokepoint," with an estimated 20% of oil traded worldwide moving through the channel, which is about 30 miles wide at its narrowest point.
In a statement Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the "sabotage operations," with council General Secretary Abdul Latif bin Rashid al-Zayani calling the incident a "dangerous escalation (that) speaks of the evil intentions" of whoever carried out the attack.
"The general secretary calls on the international community and the international maritime organizations to practice its politics and lawfulness to stop any sides that try to harm the safety or the maritime flow in this strategic part to the world," read the statement.
"These irresponsible acts only adds to the tension and conflict in the region and jeopardize the interests of their peoples."
CNN's Mohammed Elshamy and Karen Smith in Atlanta and Nada AlTaher in Abu Dhabi contributed to this article.
Tensions have risen in the oil-rich region in recent weeks amid the deployment of a growing number of United States military assets to the Middle East due to deteriorating relations with Iran.
On Thursday, the US Maritime Administration issued an advisory warning that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting commercial vessels and oil production infrastructure in the region.
One of the two Saudi vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to customers in the US, Saudi Arabia's state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Monday.
While the agency didn't mention casualties or oil spills, it did say there had been "significant damage to the structures of the two vessels."
On Sunday, the UAE said that four commercial cargo ships were targeted by "sabotage operations" off its eastern coast. The apparent sabotage took place near to UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman, east of the emirate of Fujairah, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Sunday.
It is unclear if the ships mentioned by Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of the same incident.
The UAE ministry did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged sabotage, or offer any indication as to who might be responsible, including whether it was carried out by individuals or a larger group or country.
The UAE ministry said authorities were working with local and international bodies to investigate the incident, which it described as a "dangerous development." It said there were no injuries or deaths.
"The international community (needs to) assume its responsibilities to prevent any parties trying to undermine the security and safety of maritime traffic," the ministry said.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that the incidents were "alarming and regrettable," and requested further information on the alleged sabotage.
The Iran spokesman warned against "plots by ill-wishers to disrupt regional security" and called for "vigilance of regional states in the face of any adventurism by foreign elements."
Iran borders the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the attack was an attempt to "undermine the freedom of maritime navigation, and the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world," according to comments carried by the by the Saudi Press Agency.
UAE denies earlier reports
The accusations of sabotage come less than 24 hours after the UAE government denied reports alleging that seven oil tankers were involved in an explosion in the port of Fujairah on Sunday morning.
The reports were carried first by Lebanon's pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen satellite channel and later picked up by Iran's state-owned Press TV and other outlets.
"The operations at the port are going as normal," a statement from the Emirates News Agency said Sunday. "Media outlets must be responsible and rely on official sources."
Fujairah is located close to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
The US Energy Information Administration calls the Strait of Hormuz "the world's most important oil transit chokepoint," with an estimated 20% of oil traded worldwide moving through the channel, which is about 30 miles wide at its narrowest point.
In a statement Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the "sabotage operations," with council General Secretary Abdul Latif bin Rashid al-Zayani calling the incident a "dangerous escalation (that) speaks of the evil intentions" of whoever carried out the attack.
"The general secretary calls on the international community and the international maritime organizations to practice its politics and lawfulness to stop any sides that try to harm the safety or the maritime flow in this strategic part to the world," read the statement.
"These irresponsible acts only adds to the tension and conflict in the region and jeopardize the interests of their peoples."
CNN's Mohammed Elshamy and Karen Smith in Atlanta and Nada AlTaher in Abu Dhabi contributed to this article.
