Julian Assange set to be questioned by Swedish officials

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be questioned by Swedish authorities over a sex allegation later today.

Representatives from the Swedish prosecutor's office and Swedish police will be present whilst questions will be put to Assange by an Ecuadorian official inside Ecuador's embassy in London.

He was granted political asylum by Ecuador in 2012 and has lived in their embassy ever since.

He insists that if he leaves, he will be extradited to the US for questioning over the activities of Wikileaks.

Julian Assange has lived in London's Ecuadorian embassy for four years. Credit: Reuters

Assange has always denied the allegations against him, and has offered to be interviewed at the embassy several times.

Ecuador's foreign minister, Guillaume Long, has welcomed the move.

He said: "We are pleased that the Swedish authorities will finally interview Mr Assange in our embassy in London.

"This is something that Ecuador has been inviting the Swedish prosecutors to do ever since we granted asylum to Mr Assange in 2012.

"There was no need for the Swedish authorities to delay for over 1,000 days before agreeing to carry out this interview, given that the Swedish authorities regularly question people in Britain and received permission to do so on more than 40 occasions in recent years.

"Ecuador has never sought to stand in the way of any legal process in Sweden.

Swedish Chief-Prosecutor Marianne Ny speaks during a press conference earlier this year. Credit: Reuters

"What we have asked from Sweden, and the UK, are guarantees that Mr Assange will not be extradited to a third country, where he could be persecuted for his work as as a journalist.

"The Ecuadorian government granted asylum to Mr Assange in 2012 given the risk of such political persecution and we believe that this threat remains very real."

In a statement, the director of prosecution Marianne Ny, said: "As the investigation is ongoing, it is subject to confidentiality. This confidentiality also applies according to Ecuadorian legislation for the investigative measures conducted at the embassy.

"Therefore, the prosecutors cannot provide information concerning details of the investigation after the interview," said a statement.

"I welcome the fact that the investigation can now move forward via an interview with the suspect."