Julian Assange freed: WikiLeaks founder strikes plea deal with US
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from a UK prison after agreeing to plead guilty to revealing US military secrets. The plea deal involves Assange admitting to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defense information. This agreement concludes Assange's nearly 14-year legal battle. Assange was facing 18 charges for publishing thousands of classified US government documents related to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. He was facing up to 175 years behind bars.
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Assange's actions stir global controversy, US seeks trial
Assange, at 52 years old, is globally recognized for publishing hundreds of thousands of secret documents in 2010 as the head of WikiLeaks. His actions have sparked global controversy with some viewing him as a champion of free speech and others accusing him of endangering US national security. The US authorities had sought to put Assange on trial for divulging military secrets about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Plea deal results in reduced sentence for Assange
The plea deal is expected to result in a 62-month prison sentence for Assange, with credit given for the five years he has already served in Britain. This could allow him to return to his native Australia. The deal was reached two weeks before Assange was due to appear in court in Britain to appeal against a ruling approving his extradition to the United States.
Assange's detention and release amid growing pressure
Assange had been detained in London's high-security Belmarsh prison since April 2019, after spending seven years at Ecuador's London embassy avoiding extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations that were later dropped. The plea deal was not entirely unexpected as President Joe Biden had been under growing pressure to drop the long-running case against Assange. In February, the Australian government requested his release and Biden said he would consider it, raising hopes among Assange supporters that his ordeal might end.
Assange to plead guilty in federal court
Assange is scheduled to appear in the federal court in the Mariana Islands—a US territory in the Pacific—to plead guilty to a single Espionage Act charge. The hearing is taking place there due to Assange's opposition to traveling to the continental US and the court's proximity to Australia. The guilty plea must be approved by a judge to conclude this historic case that has spanned multiple continents.
Trump administration proceeded with charges against Assange under Espionage Act
The release of WikiLeaks founder is seen as a strategic move by the Biden administration, particularly as the US heads into an election later this year. The Obama administration had previously opted not to prosecute Assange, citing concerns that it could set a dangerous precedent and infringe upon First Amendment press freedoms. However, in 2019, the Trump administration proceeded with charges under the 1917 Espionage Act, asserting that Assange's actions endangered lives by providing a platform for leaked confidential documents.
