Assange Set to Appeal Sweden's Refusal to Suspend Arrest Warrant

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said in a Friday statement that he was planning to appeal a refusal of the Swedish government to suspend his arrest warrant in order to attend the funeral of Gavin MacFadyen, his friend and the director of the UK Center for Investigative Journalism.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, following MacFadyen's death Assange asked the Swedish authorities to allow him to attend his funeral accompanied by a police escort. However, Marianne Ny, the official in charge, rejected his request.

"I am heart-broken that this official has rejected my request to attend Gavin’s funeral… This callous official has shown no consideration for my grief or that of Gavin’s family. I have instructed my counsel to appeal the request to Sweden’s Attorney General," Assange said in a statement as cited by the justice4assange website.

On Thursday, media reported that MacFadyen, the US investigative journalist, mentor and defender of the WikiLeaks founder Assange, died on Saturday in London at the age of 76.

Assange has been residing in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 to not be extradited to Sweden, where he was accused of rape after WikiLeaks began to release documents in its possession.