WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange walks free from US court after plea deal

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been released from a court in Saipan, a US Pacific island territory, after pleading guilty to violating US espionage law. This marks the end of a 14-year legal battle, during which Assange spent over five years in a British high-security prison and seven years in asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to the US, where he faced 18 criminal charges.

During the three-hour court hearing, Assange admitted to conspiring to obtain and disclose classified national defense documents but claimed he believed his activities were protected under the First Amendment, which safeguards free speech. Chief US District Judge Ramona V. Manglona accepted his guilty plea and released him due to time already served.

Assange's US lawyer, Barry Pollack, expressed that Assange should never have been charged under the Espionage Act, emphasizing that his actions were similar to those performed by journalists daily. Assange's UK and Australian lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, thanked the Australian government for their diplomatic efforts in securing his release, highlighting the global relief felt by supporters of free speech.

Following the court hearing, Assange left Saipan on a private jet bound for Canberra, Australia, where he was expected to arrive in the evening. The US District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands was chosen for the hearing due to Assange's reluctance to travel to the mainland US and its geographical proximity to Australia.

Assange's wife, Stella, commented on social media about the overwhelming nature of his release after years of confinement. Assange's supporters view him as a whistleblower who exposed US misconduct, while US officials have argued that his actions endangered lives.

The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has long advocated for Assange's release, engaging in patient and calculated diplomacy to achieve this outcome.