Lawyer for Julian Assange's accuser says he's 'violating' her in the media
Julian Assange on Wednesday released his account of the events that led to him being accused of rape in Sweden in 2010, earning the ire of the lawyer for his accuser, who said he was "violating" her client in the media.
From the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he remains confined, the WikiLeaks founder leaked the testimony he gave in November to Swedish prosecutors.
In it, he declares he did not have sex with the woman as she slept -- the centre of the accusations against him.
Swedish prosecutors are yet to charge Assange with a crime, and his testimony forms part of a preliminary investigation.
In the statement, the Australian details how he travelled in Sweden in 2010 after publishing a slew of classified documents. It was there that he met a woman, referred to as "SW," who he claims appeared to be romantically interested in him.
Assange wrote that his relationship with "SW" was entirely consensual. He detailed their encounter and shared text messages he says were sent by the woman that indicate, in his view, no crime occurred.
"Her behaviour towards me on the night in question and in the morning made it clear that she actively and enthusiastically wanted me to have sex with her," he wrote. "It is clearly consensual sex between adults."
Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer for Assange's accuser, condemned Assange for leaking the testimony, the Guardian reported.
"I expect the prosecutor to issue charges. I also expect Assange to stop violating my client in the media. She has suffered more than enough for six years," she said.
"Assange seems to be desperate. As soon as he has something to say he calls the media and is conducting the investigation through the media."
In a letter accompanying his testimony, Assange accused Swedish prosecutors of sharing his name and case details with a "tabloid newspaper" as the story unfolded.
"In the past the prosecution has fed partial information to tabloids that politically oppose me," he writes. "It is better that my statement, which I am happy with, and which makes it obvious to all that I am innocent, sees the light in full."
Assange has not travelled to Sweden to answer questions, taking refuge in Ecuador's embassy, for fear he would be extradited to the U.S. to face possible charges for leaking classified documents.
Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, said Wednesday he will remain inside the Ecuadorean Embassy, no matter what the Swedish prosecutors decide, until the U.S. government issues assurances he will not face charges.
In February, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called for Britain and Sweden to end Assange's "deprivation of liberty."
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
