Swedish lawyer to push prosecutors to reopen Julian Assange rape probe

A Swedish lawyer representing the alleged victim in a rape investigation involving WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange said on Thursday she would push to have prosecutors reopen the probe, that was dropped in 2017.

"My client and I have just received the news that Assange has been arrested. The fact that what we have been waiting and hoping for for nearly seven years is now happening, of course, comes as a shock to my client," Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer of the alleged victim, told Reuters. "We will do all we can to get prosecutors to reopen the Swedish preliminary criminal investigation so that Assange can be extradited to Sweden and be prosecuted for rape," she said in a text message.

(With inputs from agencies.)