Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty in a US court to receiving and publishing US military secrets after striking a deal with prosecutors that ensured his freedom.

Julian Assange was on his way home to Australia as a free man Wednesday after a plea deal ended years of legal drama for the WikiLeaks founder, who had long been wanted for revealing U.S. state secrets.

Assange, who from 2010 published hundreds of thousands of confidential U.S. documents on the whistleblowing website, was released this week from a high-security British prison.

Julian Assange, co-founder of WikiLeaks, will plead guilty to espionage in the US, enabling his return to Australia and ending his imprisonment in Britain. Under the agreement, Assange, 52, will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defense documents. He is to be sentenced to 62 months in prison, which he has already served in a British prison.

This screen shot courtesy of WikiLeaks X page shows Wikileaks founder Julian Assange walking to board a plane from London Stansted Airport on June 24, 2024

Julian Assange was released from prison Monday and has left Britain, WikiLeaks said, as he reached a landmark plea deal with U.S. authorities that brought an end to his years-long legal drama.

The United States is contemplating dropping charges against Julian Assange, as confirmed by President Joe Biden, who stated that he is considering the request. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is currently in custody in Great Britain, awaiting a decision on whether he will be extradited to the United States.

In a pivotal development for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the High Court in London granted him the opportunity on Tuesday to continue his legal battle against extradition to the United States. The decision comes amid ongoing international scrutiny over the implications of Assange's potential trial in the US.

The fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hangs in the balance as London's High Court gears up to deliver a pivotal ruling on his extradition to the United States. Set to be unveiled on Tuesday, this decision could mark the culmination of Assange's protracted legal battle within British courts, potentially paving the way for his transfer across the Atlantic.

Two U.K. judges on Tuesday delayed a decision on whether to grant WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange a last-ditch appeal against extradition to the United States, giving Washington three weeks to provide "assurances" in the case.

Lawyers representing the United States in the trial of Julian Assange asserted that the legal proceedings are centered on the publication of classified information, not Assange's political views. The hearing, taking place at London's High Court, marks Assange's final attempt to prevent his extradition to the US, with proceedings commencing on February 20.

The Royal Court in London is set to deliberate on the future of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, with hearings scheduled today and tomorrow regarding the US extradition request for the Australian journalist.