Swedish prosecutor issues formal request to hold Assange on rape suspicion

Stockholm (AFP) – Swedish prosecutors on Monday issued a formal request to hold Julian Assange, currently imprisoned in Britain, on suspicion of rape, a first step towards seeking his extradition to Sweden.

“I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected of rape… If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden,” Eva-Marie Persson, deputy director of public prosecutions, said in a statement.