WikiLeaks Founder Denied Swedish Residence Permit

Julian Assange has Australian citizenship

Swedish authorities have declined to give a residency and work permit to Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks website that has been criticized by the U.S. government for publishing classified documents relating to the war in Afghanistan.

Assange, who has Australian citizenship, has been seeking to establish a base in Sweden because of the Nordic country's strong media freedom laws.

In August, it emerged that Assange was being investigated in Sweden for rape allegations. He has denied the charges.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department has publicly asked media organizations not to publish any new classified U.S. war documents that may be released by WikiLeaks.

Reports have suggested the WikiLeaks website may soon publish hundreds of thousands of U.S. documents it has reportedly obtained relating to the war in Iraq.

compiled from agency reports