Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of illegally obtaining and disclosing national security material in exchange for his release from a British prison. This marks the end of a prolonged battle with the U.S. that began after Assange gained notoriety in the 2010s for revealing state secrets.
Assange, 52, will appear before a federal judge in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, as per a court filing on Monday. He is expected to be sentenced to around five years, equivalent to the time he has already served in Britain. The plea deal prevents his extradition to the U.S. mainland, a location much closer to his native Australia.
Shortly after the deal's disclosure, WikiLeaks announced that Assange had left London. He is scheduled to appear in Saipan on Wednesday and return to Australia afterward. His wife, Stella Assange, confirmed his departure in a video posted early Tuesday.
This agreement concludes a decade-long legal struggle, following Assange's publication of sensitive information about U.S. military activities and confidential diplomatic communications. In 2019, Assange was indicted on 18 counts related to WikiLeaks' release of national security documents, risking up to 170 years in federal prison.
His release comes after years of confinement in Belmarsh Prison in London. Assange's supporters have consistently argued that his actions were in the public interest and should be protected under the First Amendment. However, U.S. officials have maintained that Assange's actions jeopardized national security.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Biden have both hinted at resolving the case swiftly. Assange’s release marks a new chapter for him and his family.
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