Julian Assange has gone public for the first time since rape allegations surfaced more than six years ago, claiming he is “entirely innocent”.

In a statement, the WikiLeaks founder said he wants people to know “the truth” about how he ended up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Mr Assange said he had been subjected to “six years of unlawful, politicized detention without charge in prison” and blamed the Swedish legal system for failing to take his statement six years ago.

View photos Julian Assange pictured inside the embassy. Source: AAP More

“You have been found to have subjected me to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,” he said.

“You have denied me effective legal representation in this process.”

Assange was named as a rape suspect in Swedish media in August 2010, but believed his life would “return to normal” after a chief prosecutor dropped the arrest warrant for him days later.

View photos Assange supporters have protested his innocence. Source: AAP More

The Australian says he has text messages that show “clearly consensual sex between adults”, with a woman named as SW. He says the duo had sex up to five times after he stayed at her home and was later shocked by the rape accusation.

But Assange said another prosecutor, Marianne Ny, reopened the investigation a week later and issued an extradition warrant after the Australian left the country.

“My overall conclusion is that the prosecutor’s conduct of the preliminary investigation… has continued to deprive me of the right to defend myself,” he said.

View photos Support for Assange outside the embassy. Source: AAP More

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