WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has labelled Sweden's chief prosecutor "callous" for refusing him permission to leave his embassy refuge in London to attend a friend's funeral.
Swedish prosecutors say the WikiLeaks founder's request to attend Monday's funeral has been dismissed on procedural grounds and nothing in Swedish legislation permitted such exceptions.
Assange said in a statement on Friday he sought permission from Sweden's chief prosecutor Marianne Ny to attend the funeral of his "close friend and mentor" Professor Gavin MacFadyen on compassionate grounds.
The 45-year-old computer hacker has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June 2012 after seeking refuge there to avoid extradition to Sweden to face an allegation of rape stemming from a visit there in 2010.
He denies the allegation and fears being extradited to the United States to face espionage charges related to WikiLeaks' release of secret US government documents.
If Assange leaves the embassy he would be arrested by British police and face proceedings to extradite him to Sweden.
Assange said on Friday he sought leave to assist at the one-hour funeral "accompanied by a police escort" before returning to the embassy.
"I am heartbroken that this official has rejected my request to attend Gavin's funeral. Her rejection is consistent with the corrupt and frankly wicked manner in which she has exercised her 'discretion' over me," Assange said.
"This callous official has shown no consideration for my grief or that of Gavin's family. I have instructed my counsel to appeal the request to Sweden's attorney-general."
Assange said such requests were routinely granted in other cases on compassionate grounds, even where the person has been charged or convicted, and he had not even been charged.
In February this year, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a decision condemning Sweden and the UK for the "arbitrary and unlawful deprivation of liberty" Assange had been subject to.
