Swedish prosecutors will announce next week whether they will reopen an investigation into a rape allegation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The deputy director of public prosecutions Eva-Marie Persson is to hold a press conference in Stockholm on Monday to announce her decision on Assange – sentenced to 50 weeks in prison in the UK earlier this month for a bail violation.

Prosecutors dropped the rape investigation in 2017 because they were unable to proceed while he remained living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Assange also faced investigation for a second sex-related allegation, which was dropped in 2015 because the statute of limitations had passed. He has denied both allegations.

A lawyer for one of the women involved asked for the investigation to be resumed, after he was dragged out of the Ecuadorean embassy last month.

Key moments for Julian Assange Show all 9 1 /9 Key moments for Julian Assange Key moments for Julian Assange The situation today Assange was arrested after Metropolitan Police officers were invited into the Ecuadorian embassy on April 11 2019. How did it come to this? Ruptly TV Key moments for Julian Assange The break Assange shows the front page of the Guardian on July 26 2010, the day that they broke the story of the thousands of military files leaked by WikiLeaks AFP/Getty Key moments for Julian Assange Wanted A warrant for Assange's arrest was issued in August 2010 for counts of rape and molestation in Sweden AFP/Getty Key moments for Julian Assange Ruling The UK's Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that Assange should be extradited to Sweden to face trial Getty Key moments for Julian Assange Sanctuary Following the ruling, Assange was given asylum by the Ecuadorian governement over fears that his human rights would be violated if he were extradited, he has since remained in the embassy in London Getty Key moments for Julian Assange A friend in Pam Friend Pamela Anderson delivers lunch to Assange at the embassy in October 2016. She has since spoken against his arrest Getty Key moments for Julian Assange Arbitrarily detained A UN panel found in 2016 that Assange had been arbitrarily detained and that he had not been able to claim his full right to asylum. It urged Sweden to withdraw the charges against him Getty Key moments for Julian Assange The cat ultimatum Last year, the Ecuadorian embassy threatened to revoke Assange's internet access unless he stopped making political statements online and started taking better care of James, his pet cat. Assange accused Ecuador of violating his rights Reuters Key moments for Julian Assange Arrest Assange was arrested on April 11 2019. Ecuador revoked his asylum status and invited the Metropolitan Police in to the embassy to arrest him. Reuters

A UN official visited Assange on Thursday to assess his treatment in the high security prison where he is being held.

Professor Nils Melzer, the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, went to Belmarsh in south London, and will have meetings on Friday with relevant authorities.

UN human rights experts have already voiced concern about the “disproportionate” sentence given to Assange, as well as his detention in the high-security prison.

Pamela Anderson visited Assange at Belmarsh prison earlier this week (PA)

Last week the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said it was “deeply concerned” about the sentence imposed on Assange for only “a minor violation”.

He is now wanted for questioning in the US over the activities of WikiLeaks. US authorities have charged him with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, which carries a maximum penalty of five years.

Ben Brandon, the lawyer representing the US at a recent extradition hearing, said there were computer room chats showing real-time discussions between Chelsea Manning and Assange over an attempt to gain access to classified US documents and the public release of the information.

On Tuesday Assange was visited in jail by the US star Pamela Anderson. Wearing a grey blanket emblazoned with words including “free speech”, the actress said it was “very difficult” to see Assange locked up at Belmarsh.