Sweden Drops Rape Investigation Into Julian Assange

Swedish prosecutors earlier in the day dropped their investigation into Assange over a rape allegation, but British police said he would still be arrested if he left the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in August 2012, fearing that arrest and extradition to Sweden would ultimately result in his extradition to the U.S.to face charges stemming from WikiLeaks' publication of classified documents.

"Director of Public Prosecution, Marianne Ny, has today chose to discontinue the investigation regarding suspected rape (lesser degree) by Julian Assange", a brief statement from Stockholm said.

Even with Sweden dropping its investigation, Assange might not be packing his bags and leaving the embassy just yet.

"My assessment is the transfer can not be carried out in a foreseeable future", Ny told a news conference in Stockholm, adding that Assange had avoided all attempts by British and Swedish authorities to arrest him.

"Seven years without charge while my children grew up without me".

However, Assange is still not a free man, since he can be prosecuted anytime till 2020 if he chooses to return to Sweden.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in an opinion released in late 2015 that Assange had been "arbitrarily detained by the Governments of Sweden and the United Kingdom" since the legal case against him began in 2010. Elisabeth Massi Fritz said her client was shocked but "she can't change her view that Assange has exposed her to a rape".

Mr Assange's lawyers today hailed the dropped charges as a "total victory".

Officials said in a statement that, under Swedish law, investigations must be completed as quickly as possible and must be dropped "when a prosecutor has exhausted the possibilities".

British law enforcement made it clear that they would still take legal action regarding Assange should the need arise, and that the decision from Sweden does not affect other reasons for his potential arrest for a "less serious offense".

"Today is an important victory for me and for the United Nations human rights system", Assange said in an address on the balcony of the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.

London's Metropolitan Police said Assange remained a wanted man on Friday.

In their statement, the MPS said it would "not comment further on the operational plan".