Julian Assange Freed From UK Prison After Striking Plea Deal With US

Julian Assange has reportedly agreed to plead guilty in a US court to disclosing military secrets in exchange for his release, marking the end of his lengthy legal battle. Assange, previously held in Britain, intends to plead guilty to a charge of conspiring to acquire and distribute national defense information, as per court filings in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific. WikiLeaks announced early Tuesday that Assange is now free and has departed the country, with plans to appear in court on Wednesday local time.

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, has agreed to plead guilty in a US court to disclosing military secrets in exchange for his release, ending his extensive legal battle. He will plead guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to obtain and distribute national defense information, according to court documents filed in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific.

This should never have happened, but finally, Julian Assange is free.#freepress #firstamendement pic.twitter.com/8inNpvknxu

— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) June 25, 2024

WikiLeaks confirmed early Tuesday morning British time that Assange is now free and has left the country. He is set to appear in court on Wednesday morning local time in the US territory. Assange is expected to receive a 62-month prison sentence, with credit for the five years he has already served in British custody, potentially allowing him to return to Australia.

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The 52-year-old publisher became a polarizing figure, revered by free speech advocates worldwide and criticized by those who believed his actions jeopardized US national security and intelligence sources by exposing secrets, including classified information on US military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange faced an indictment in 2019 on 18 counts related to WikiLeaks' publication of national security documents. The plea deal comes ahead of his scheduled court appearance in Britain to appeal against extradition to the United States, where he has been wanted under the Espionage Act, potentially facing a lengthy prison term.

The decision to accept this plea deal arrives amid mounting pressure on President Joe Biden to resolve the prolonged legal proceedings against Assange.

In February, the Australian government formally requested that Julian Assange be allowed to return home, and President Biden indicated that he would review the request. This sparked optimism among Assange's supporters that his long ordeal might finally come to an end.

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