Ecuador: Assange can be questioned by Sweden

Ecuador says it’s reached a deal with Sweden that could lead to questioning of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who’s in asylum at Ecuador’s embassy in London while facing a Swedish rape allegation.

“It is without doubt an instrument that strengthens bilateral relations and will facilitate, for example, the fulfillment of judicial matters such as the questioning of Mr Assange”, Ecuador’s foreign ministry said in a statement. British police arrested Assange five years ago, but he is still holed up in the UK’s Ecuadorian embassy without charges. Assange allegedly wrote that he had “never been formally charged with an offence or a common crime” and that “by welcoming me, it would be a humanitarian gesture by France”.

Swedish prosecutors had offered in March to question Assange in London, dropping their previous demand that he come to Sweden to answer to the 2010 criminal charges.

It is unlikely Mr Assange will be questioned until the new year, but his friends said it was a positive sign, pointing out he has been pressing to be interviewed for years.

Under the deal, Swedish officials will be able to question him about the longstanding accusations, according to Ecuador. The white-haired one also fears possible extradition to the United States of America, where it is felt the government has compiled a special book to throw at him over Wikileaks’ release of classified U.S. documents.

“The agreement guarantees, among other things, the application and respect of the national legislation and principles of global rights, particularly those related to human rights, and the full exercise of national sovereignty, in any case of legal assistance between Ecuador and Sweden”.

But the fact that the statute of limitations for some of his alleged crimes were set to expire this year spurred Swedish authorities to change their approach.