( CNN ) -- Interpol , at the request of a Swedish court looking into alleged sex crimes from earlier this year , has put WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on its most-wanted listed . The Stockholm Criminal Court two weeks ago issued an international arrest warrant for Assange on probable cause , saying he is suspected of rape , sexual molestation and illegal use of force in August incidents . Sweden asked Interpol , the international police organization , to post a `` Red Notice '' after a judge approved a motion to bring him into custody . The `` Red Notice '' is not an international arrest warrant . It is an advisory and request , issued to 188 member countries `` to assist the national police forces in identifying or locating those persons with a view to their arrest and extradition , '' according to Interpol . The Swedish court ordered Assange , 39 , formally arrested in his absence , which requires Swedish authorities anywhere in the world to detain Assange if they come across him . Sweden 's director of prosecutions , Marianne Ny , had requested the arrest-in-absence . `` The background is that he has to be heard in this investigation and we have n't been able to get a hold of him to question him , '' Ny said at the time . Assange faces five counts that appear related to two incidents , according to the request Ny filed with the court . He faces one count of rape and one count of sexual molestation related to an instance around August 17 in Enkoping , just outside Stockholm . He then faces two counts of sexual molestation between August 13 and 18 in Stockholm , and one count of illegal use of force between August 13 and 14 , also in the capital . Assange could be sentenced to at least two years in prison if convicted , according to the document . Assange , an Australian , was rejected for permanent residency in Sweden in October . Swedish Migration Board official Gunilla Wikstrom said his application failed to fulfill all the requirements but declined to give details . On Monday , Ecuador invited Assange to come to Quito to discuss documents leaked on the site relating to Ecuador and other Latin American countries , according to a statement from the country 's foreign ministry . The ministry also offered to process a request for residency `` in accordance with the country 's current laws . '' In a November news release , Assange 's British lawyer said the sex-crime charges stem from consensual sexual relationships his client had with two women . `` Only after the women became aware of each other 's relationships with Mr. Assange did they make their allegations against him , '' lawyer Mark Stephens said in the statement . Stephens also said neither he nor Assange `` have ever received a single written word , at any time , in any form , from Swedish authorities on the Swedish investigation against our client . '' The media has been the only way they 've learned substantial information about the investigation , Stephens said . He called it `` a clear contravention to Article 6 of the European Convention , which states that every accused must be informed promptly , in a language which he understands and in detail , of the nature and cause of the accusation against him . '' Swedish prosecutors announced over the summer they were investigating Assange in two separate cases of rape and molestation . Ny said then there was reason to believe a crime had been committed , but that more investigation was necessary before she could make a final decision . Assange has maintained he is innocent , telling the Arabic-language television network Al-Jazeera the accusations were a `` smear campaign . ''
Interpol puts WikiLeaks founder on wanted list . Julian Assange faces five counts in alleged sexual crimes in Sweden . Assange has maintained his innocence .