Sweden: Court rejects Assange's request to drop arrest warrant *AUDIO FILE*

The Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm rejected Julian Assange's request to have a detention in absentia warrant repealed on Friday.
Judge Jonas Hogstrom gave an exclusive interview with Ruptly in which he stated that "our decision in that matter is that at this point in time there are no reasons to repeal the warrant which means it still stands." He added that "the reasons for a detention order" to question Assange in the embassy "remain so strong" that they outweigh any intrusions the whistleblower is currently experiencing.
Assange has lived in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, after taking refuge in order to avoid extradition to Sweden on a rape charge which he denies. Ecuador has granted asylum to Assange, and has said the WikiLeaks founder was welcome to stay at the embassy.
Assange fears that if he goes to Sweden he could be extradited to the USA to stand trial over WikiLeaks' publication of classified US diplomatic cables. Regardless of the outcome, UK authorities have said they will arrest Assange if he steps onto British territory since they are bound by a European arrest warrant.