WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was being questioned by prosecutors on Monday at the Ecuadorean embassy in London about possible sexual misconduct committed in Sweden six years ago.
Assange was being interviewed at the embassy where he sought refuge more than four years ago. The questioning was being led by an Ecuadorean prosecutor in the presence of Swedish prosecutor Ingrid Isgren and a Swedish police investigator.
Prosecutors planned to ask Assange to consent to providing a DNA sample.
Swedish officials are seeking information related to allegations of serious misconduct made by two Swedish women he met in 2010. Some of the alleged misconduct is no longer being investigated by police because of the statute of limitations.
He is, however, being questioned about a possible rape of one of the women who complained to authorities. He has not been indicted.
Prosecutors say no immediate decision on the future of Assange's case will be made on Monday. They also said no public statements will be made after the questioning, which may last several days.
Assange's Swedish defence lawyer, Per Samuelsson, told Swedish media he has "high hopes" the case will be closed once prosecutors have completed the interview. He complained that he has been barred from the hearing, despite arguing that Assange's lawyer must be permitted to take part.
Civil rights activist Peter Tatchell said outside the embassy that he and others had gathered to show "solidarity" with Assange and WikiLeaks. He said Assange was being "hounded" because of WikiLeaks' work in shedding light on the "terrible things" done by the US government and others.
Some supporters hoisted pro-Assange banners outside the embassy.
Assange has denied sexual wrongdoing and says he fears being extradited to the US because of his WikiLeaks work. It isn't known if he faces a secret grand jury indictment in the US.
The sex crime allegations were made shortly after Assange and WikiLeaks became well known worldwide for releasing hundreds of thousands of pages of classified US government documents.
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