WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange to be Released From Prison

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is set to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that could secure his release from a British prison after five years, according to recent court documents.

Assange’s charge relates to his role in the massive leak of classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents, a scandal dating back to the Obama administration. Between 2009 and 2010, Assange allegedly collaborated with former military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to release extensive reports on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, as well as State Department cables and Guantanamo Bay detainee assessments via WikiLeaks.

The plea deal, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, would see Assange sentenced to 62 months, with credit for time served, allowing him to return to Australia. This move follows his prolonged legal battles to avoid extradition to the U.S., including recent permissions from the London High Court for a full appeal hearing on his case.

Assange’s case also ties into the 2016 U.S. presidential election, where WikiLeaks released hacked Democratic National Committee emails, an operation linked to Russian intelligence. Despite this, former President Trump publicly doubted Russian involvement, contradicting U.S. intelligence findings.

Chelsea Manning, who played a key role in the leaks, was initially sentenced to 35 years but had her sentence commuted by Obama in 2017. She later faced additional legal challenges, including nearly a year in jail for refusing to testify before a grand jury.

This plea deal potentially ends a decade-long saga involving Assange, highlighting significant issues at the intersection of journalism, law, and international relations.

Kosta Gushterov