France rejects Wikileaks founder Assange asylum appealJuly 3, 2015 - 19:34 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France has rejected an appeal by the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to grant him asylum, BBC News reports. Prosecutors in Sweden want to question Assange over sex assault allegations. Assange denies the assault claims and has been living at the Ecuadorean embassy in London since 2012. Earlier on Friday, France's Le Monde newspaper published an open letter Assange had written to President Francois Hollande asking for asylum. In it, he wrote: "By welcoming me, France would carry out a humanitarian and symbolic gesture, sending encouragement to every journalist and whistleblower." He also said his life was in danger. A statement from Hollande's office said it had reviewed the request and decided not to grant Assange asylum. "The situation of Mr Assange does not present any immediate danger," the statement said. "Furthermore, he is subject to a European arrest warrant." Following the letter's publication, Wikileaks tweeted that Assange "did not submit an asylum application to France. He published an open letter in Le Monde to Hollande and the public." Assange - an Australian journalist and activist - has not been formally charged, but prosecutors want to question him over allegations of rape and sexual misconduct made by two women he met during a trip to Sweden in August 2010. He claims the allegations are part of a plot to extradite him to the U.S. because of Wikileaks' publication of thousands of classified U.S. documents earlier in 2010. But the former computer hacker has not been charged with any crime in the U.S. and the Americans have not issued the UK with an extradition request. Ecuador offered Assange asylum in August 2012, shortly after he sought refuge at the country's embassy in London. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |