WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department. This will bring an end to a long legal battle that involved the publication of classified documents across multiple continents. The court papers filed on Monday evening reveal that Assange will plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information.
Assange is set to appear in federal court in the Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Western Pacific, for his plea. The Justice Department stated in a court filing that the guilty plea must be approved by a judge. This development marks a sudden resolution to a high-profile criminal case involving international intrigue and the U.S. government’s pursuit of a publisher whose website became popular for sharing secret information.
Although many press freedom advocates viewed Assange as a journalist exposing U.S. military misconduct, investigators argued that his actions violated laws protecting sensitive information and jeopardized national security. After his plea and sentencing, Assange is expected to return to Australia. The sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday morning, local time in Saipan, the largest island in the Mariana Islands.
For more details about Assange’s release, WikiLeaks posted a message on X Monday. Additionally, a related story can be found here: London court rules WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal extradition order to the US.
