Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from a London prison after more than five years and will not face extradition to the United States following a plea deal with authorities. This significant development came to light on June 24, as reported by Reuters.
Details of the Plea Deal
Assange agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose U.S. national defense information. This charge is tied to WikiLeaks’ publication of over 700,000 classified U.S. documents and diplomatic cables related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, leaked by former military analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010. The plea deal is expected to result in a sentence of five years and three months, which coincides with the time Assange has already served in London’s Belmarsh Prison since April 2019.
Assange’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 25 at 11:00 pm UTC. Following the court’s decision, WikiLeaks announced via a June 24 X post that Assange was granted bail and had boarded a flight leaving the United Kingdom to return to his native Australia.
Background of Assange’s Legal Troubles
Assange has faced legal challenges since 2010 when PayPal cut off WikiLeaks’ account, which the organization used for fundraising. In response, WikiLeaks turned to Bitcoin, gaining significant attention. Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, even commented on the situation, advising against using Bitcoin due to the potential backlash.
Assange’s most prominent legal issues began in December 2010 when he sought asylum in Ecuador’s embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations, which were later dropped. He stayed in the embassy for seven years before being removed by U.K. authorities in April 2019 and subsequently placed in Belmarsh Prison. It was during this period that the Trump administration first charged him, sparking significant outrage from his supporters and press freedom advocates.
Controversy and Support
The charges against Assange have been controversial, with many of his supporters and advocates for press freedom arguing that publishing information should not be considered a criminal act. They view the charges as a threat to free speech.
Julian Assange’s release marks a significant moment in a prolonged legal battle that has drawn international attention and debate over issues of press freedom and governmental transparency. As Assange prepares to return to Australia, the impact of his plea deal and its implications for future whistleblowers and publishers will continue to be a topic of discussion.
