WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Released After U.S. Court Deal, Australia Homecoming Imminent
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has made a deal with the U.S. government, ending a long legal battle. Assange will plead guilty to one charge of conspiring to get and share national defense information. This decision ends a period filled with controversy and debate over press freedom and national security.
Assange’s deal, filed in a court in the Northern Mariana Islands, means he will serve 62 months in prison. This time matches the years he has already spent in Belmarsh Prison in the UK.
Initially, he faced a possible life sentence for 18 charges related to espionage and computer misuse. These charges were based on his role in publishing classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents leaked by Chelsea Manning. These documents included sensitive information about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which exposed many people to danger.
He was released from Belmarsh Prison on June 24, 2024. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and immediately taken to the airport to fly to Saipan, a U.S. territory, where he will enter his guilty plea and be sentenced.
After this, he is expected to return to Australia. His wife, Stella Assange, expressed her happiness and said it was incredible that her husband would soon be free. Assange’s mother, Christine, also felt relieved that her son’s long struggle was finally over.
Assange’s legal issues started in 2010 when he was arrested in London on Swedish charges of sexual assault.
After a court ruled he could be sent to Sweden, he took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years.
Although Sweden dropped the charges, UK police arrested him for breaking bail conditions. Since then, he has been fighting extradition to the U.S. The plea deal stops this long legal battle and calms fears of press freedom advocates who worried that prosecuting Assange under the Espionage Act would set a bad example for journalists worldwide.
Australian leaders have been asking for his release and return for years. In April, President Joe Biden said U.S. authorities were considering ending the case, likely due to diplomatic pressure.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Assange’s long jail time served no purpose and that he should come home. This situation shows the delicate balance between keeping national security and supporting free speech and journalism.
As Assange prepares to return to Australia, people will watch the results of his plea deal closely. His release is a win for his supporters and those who believe in press freedom.