Swedish prosecutors have asked Julian Assange’s legal representatives if the WikiLeaks founder would consent to be interviewed in London and have his DNA taken via a swab.
Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June 2012 in order to avoid extradition to Sweden, where prosecutors want to question him about 2010 allegations that he raped one woman and sexually molested another.
Swedish prosecutors have previously balked at coming to Britain to question Assange.
However, a number of the crimes Julian Assange is suspected of will be subject to statute of limitation in August 2015, according to a statement from Director of Public Prosecutions Marianne Ny.
“If Assange gives his consent, the prosecutor will promptly submit a request for legal assistance to the British authorities to further continue the investigation,” the statement said.
A request will also be made to the Ecuadorian authorities for permission to “perform investigative measures” at its London embassy, the statement said. Ecuador granted Assange political asylum in 2012.
“My view has always been that to perform an interview with him at the Ecuadorian embassy in London would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial in the future,” said Ny.
“This assessment remains unchanged. Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies to the investigation and likewise take the risk that the interview does not move the case forward, particularly as there are no other measures on offer without Assange being present in Sweden.”
The Australian national has not been charged and denies the claims, saying he fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States. He believes he could face the death penalty there if he is charged and convicted of publishing government secrets through WikiLeaks.
He has previously said the arrest warrant should be thrown out because, in part, Swedish authorities refuse to interview him at the Ecuadorian Embassy, thereby prolonging a preliminary investigation that he says should have concluded long ago.
London’s Metropolitan Police said last month that the operation to guard the embassy to prevent Assange fleeing had spiraled to more than 10 million pounds ($15.3 million.)