Julian Assange, the controversial WikiLeaks founder, has been released from the high-security Belmarsh prison in the UK and is heading to his native Australia after a landmark plea agreement with the US Department of Justice. Assange, who spent five years behind bars, accepted a guilty plea for the single criminal charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified national defense information. The plea deal, which is expected to be formalized with a court hearing in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands on June 26th, will likely see Assange avoid any additional prison time and marks the end of a prolonged legal battle that has sparked international debate on press freedom and government secrecy.Assange’s release followed intense negotiations and was facilitated by the High Court in London granting him bail. He departed the UK from Stansted Airport, with WikiLeaks announcing his freedom and imminent reunion with his family. This development comes after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s request to the US to bring the case to a close, a sentiment that US President Joe Biden had been considering. Assange’s case has polarized opinions, with supporters viewing him as a champion of transparency and critics decrying the potential harm to national security his leaks could have caused.
Key points
- Julian Assange released from Belmarsh prison, set to return to Australia after plea deal with US.
- Assange pleads guilty to one charge, likely to avoid further US prison time.
- The plea agreement concludes a legal battle that has sparked global debate on press freedom.
