Swedish Court Upholds Warrant Against WikiLeaks Founder

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks to the media inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in June 2013.

A Swedish court has upheld an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for alleged sexual assault.

Assange, 43, has been staying in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London for more than two years to avoid being arrested in England and extradited to Sweden.

Assange says he fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States.

WikiLeaks angered U.S. officials by releasing hundreds of thousands of secret government documents.

The Swedish warrant for Assange's arrest on charges of rape and sexual molestation was issued in late 2010.

He denies the charges.

Assange's attorneys said they would appeal the Swedish court's decision.

Even if Sweden drops its case against Assange, he would face arrest by British police for violating his bail conditions when he fled to the Ecuadoran Embassy.

English police have been stationed outside the embassy since he entered it.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP