A British judge wrapped up an extradition hearing for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Friday. NPR's David Greene says the judge will be back with a decision in two weeks on whether Assange should be handed over to Swedish authorities to face sex-crime allegations.
Lawyers for Assange tried a new tactic Friday, alleging that remarks by the Swedish prime minister have poisoned Assange's chances of a fair hearing in Sweden.
Geoffrey Robertson, a lawyer for Assange, said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has created a "toxic" atmosphere that would make a fair trial impossible.
"The Swedish prime minister says Assange is an enemy of the people," Robertson said. "He's made falsehoods in Parliament and the Swedish people will believe him. In Sweden, he [Assange] is public enemy No. 1 as a result of the prime minister's statement.
It wasn't immediately clear which comments Robertson was referring to. Reinfeldt spoke to reporters Tuesday about the Assange case in Stockholm's Parliament building, rejecting criticism of the Swedish justice system by the lawyers. He did not call Assange a public enemy.
Assange, who is out on bail in England, is wanted for questioning in Sweden on sex crimes allegations stemming from a brief visit there last summer. Two women have accused him of sexual abuse. He has denied the allegations and described the sex as consensual.
Robertson claimed the Swedish prime minister said Assange should be charged with rape and characterized the WikiLeaks founder as opposed to women's' rights, which Robertson called a "pernicious lie."
But lawyer Clare Montgomery, representing the Swedish government, said that the prime minister did not make such comments and that Robertson was misrepresenting what had been said.
She described Assange as violent and abusive toward the women, using force in one case to pin one down as he tried to penetrate her against her will.
"It is clear that what Mr. Assange is charged with meets the European definition of rape," she said. "There is no justification for him saying there is nothing in the evidence that can be called violent."
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