Wikileaks founder Julian Assange | EPA Assange sex allegations expire Three of the four sexual assault allegations against Wikileaks boss will not be pursued.

Swedish prosecutors have dropped their investigation into three allegations of sexual assault against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, according to a statement issued Thursday on the prosecutors' website.

The allegations being dropped involve one count of sexual molestation and one count of unlawful coercion. Swedish law stipulates that suspects must be questioned before the statute of limitations expires, otherwise they can no longer be charged for the crimes. Prosecutors had until Thursday to bring charges against Assange, and one allegation of sexual molestation set to expire Tuesday next week was also dropped.

“This means that the investigation into the events cannot be completed because the suspect could not be interviewed, which I regret,” said senior prosecutor Marianne Ny in a statement.

Assange, who has resided in Ecuador’s London embassy since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, can still face prosecution for rape until 2020. Lawyers for Assange told the BBC that he could overcome the rape accusation as well. Sweden is reportedly continuing to talk with Ecuador over the terms of Assange’s potential questioning over the rape allegation.

Assange issued a statement shared by WikiLeaks’ Twitter account, saying he was “extremely disappointed” in the process.

“There was no need for any of this,” Assange wrote. “I am an innocent man. I haven’t even been charged ... From the beginning I offered simple solutions. Come to the embassy to take my statement or promise not to send me to the United States. This Swedish official refused both. She even refused a written statement. Now she has manage to avoid hearing my side of the story entirely. This is beyond incompetence. I am strong but the cost to my family is unacceptable. Even though I have been improperly treated, I would like to thank the many people in Sweden and the U.K. who have been very understanding of the wrong which has been done to me and my family.”

The allegations arose from the leak of a 68-page confidential Swedish police report in late 2010 that revealed what Assange characterized as two consensual sexual relationships with two Swedish women, according to a New York Times report at the time.

The women alleged that while the sexual encounters started consensually, they became nonconsensual.

“She had wanted him to stand before the court and answer the accusations but it’s five years ago and she’s not interested in going to court now,” the lawyer of one of Assange’s accusers told the BBC. “She wants to put it all behind her. It’s been a difficult time for her and she’s now trying to forget about it and move on with her life.”

One of Assange’s Swedish lawyers said the investigation’s end is long overdue.

“We are convinced that as soon as he has the opportunity to give his version of the circumstances, there’ll be no need to continue the investigation,” lawyer Thomas Olsson told the BBC.