Julian Assange gives first public statement denying rape allegations

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has given a public statement for the first time hitting back at rape allegations, claiming he is "entirely innocent". Photo / AP

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has given a public statement for the first time in response to rape allegations against him, claiming he is "entirely innocent".

Assange's statement - which was given to prosecutors from his refuge inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London - claims text messages show "it is clearly consensual sex between two adults".

Assange releases full testimony in Swedish 'sex case': https://t.co/gifUGH5o2w
PDF: https://t.co/q3Pzze6b1l
HTML: https://t.co/UvmGW97cYm

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 7, 2016

The rape allegation stems from Assange's visit to Sweden in 2010. He has denied the allegation as well as other less serious allegations of sexual misconduct against two women for which the statute of limitations has expired.

The 19-page statement detailed accounts of what he calls consensual sex with the woman known as SW.

In the statement, Assange claims he had consensual and enjoyable sex with SW four or five times.

"SW made it very clear that she wanted to have sexual intercourse with me. I felt concerned about the intensity of SW's interest and I also deeply loved another woman, which played on my mind and left me emotionally distracted," he wrote.

"During that night and again in the morning we had consensual sexual intercourse on four or five occasions. Her words, her expressions and her physical reactions made it clear to me that she encouraged and enjoyed our interactions."

Assange said he had been subjected to "six years of unlawful, politicised detention without charge" and that he wanted people know the truth about "how abusive this process has been",

"You have subjected me to six years of unlawful, politicised detention without charge in prison, under house arrest and four and a half years at this embassy," he wrote.

"You should have asked me this question six years ago. Your actions in refusing to take my statement for the last six years have been found to be unlawful by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and by the Swedish Court of Appeal.

"You have been found to have subjected me to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment."

Despite these claims, Assange said he felt compelled to co-operate despite the fact authorities were not "safeguarding" his rights.