News has arrived that a rape investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was being dropped by prosecutors in Stockholm, Sweden. According to the NY Times, Assange found refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London five years ago. Previously in 2010, Julian Assange was accused of sexual misconduct by two women after he took a trip to Sweden, which resulted in an investigation being opened against him. Sweden's Chief Prosecutor Marianne Ny noted at a press conference that the authorities are not pronouncing that Assange was innocent, saying "I can conclude, based on the evidence, that probable cause for this crime exists." She also said that in order for the investigation to continue, Assange would have to be served notice of the charges against him and also that he had to be present in a Swedish court. Both of those things are impossible at the moment, which forced prosecutors to drop the investigation. Ecuador has not been cooperating with investigators, and Ny said "My assessment is that the transfer cannot be executed in the foreseeable future."

Despite the investigation being dropped, Assange still faces a warrant in Britain for failure to appear in court. According to the Metropolitan Police in London, if Assange tried to leave the embassy, he would be arrested on the spot.

Source: nytimes.com