WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange has lost a legal move aimed at revoking an arrest warrant in connection with sex-related allegations against him.
A Swedish appeals court has upheld the warrant, dashing Mr Assange's hopes that he could soon leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been living for more than two years.
Mr Assange, who denies the allegations, sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States, and has since been granted political asylum.
He believes that if he travels to Sweden to answer the allegations he will be taken to the United States for questioning over the work of whistle-blowing organisation WikiLeaks.
The court decision ruled on an appeal against a similar earlier decision by a lower court.
"There is no reason to set aside the detention solely because Julian Assange is in an embassy and the detention order cannot be enforced at present for that reason," the Svea Court of Appeal in Stockholm said in a statement.
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