WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to enter a plea deal with the Joe Biden administration that could pave the way for him to avoid imprisonment in the United States, according to recently filed federal court documents. Assange has reportedly consented to plead guilty to a felony charge connected to his alleged involvement in one of the largest breaches of classified US government material. This agreement would see him receiving a 62-month sentence, matching the duration he has already served in London’s high-security Belmarsh prison while contesting extradition to the US. The plea deal includes crediting his time served, potentially allowing Assange to return to his native Australia immediately.
Assange’s release from Belmarsh was confirmed by WikiLeaks, who announced that he had been granted bail by the High Court in London and subsequently departed from Stansted airport, as shown in a video posted by the organisation. A plea hearing and sentencing have been scheduled for Wednesday, with the US District Court in the Northern Mariana Islands chosen as the venue to avoid setting foot in the continental US.
The Justice Department prosecutors anticipate Assange will plead guilty to the charge and be sentenced accordingly. Assange had been sought by US authorities for publishing confidential military records leaked by Chelsea Manning between 2010 and 2011. The potential maximum sentence of up to 175 years in prison from the 18 counts of the 2019 indictment was unlikely to be imposed.
President Joe Biden supported a deal to facilitate Assange’s return to Australia, backed by Australian government officials. The UK court’s ruling granting Assange the right to appeal his final challenge against US extradition marked a notable victory after years of legal battles. His case has sparked debates over press freedom, government transparency, and legal implications, capturing international attention throughout his journey from asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy to incarceration and now a potential plea deal and return to Australia.
