image source, WikiLeaks/Reuters
- author, Writing
- stock, BBC News World
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has left the UK The High Court in London granted him bail, after reaching a deal with the United States that would allow him to plead guilty to one charge and remain free.
Assange was charged with conspiring to obtain and release information related to US national security after WikiLeaks released classified US military documents.
He has spent the past five years in a British prison, fighting extradition to the United States, where he fears he could face a long prison sentence.
As part of the deal, Assange He will not spend time in US custody and credit for time spent in prison in the United Kingdom.
Assange’s plane landed in Bangkok on Tuesday to refuel before heading to Saipan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the South Pacific.
There it will be done A court hearing in US District Court.Assange is expected to plead guilty and then return to Australia under a deal.
What are the terms of the contract?
Julian Assange has reached an agreement with US authorities that will allow him to declare himself Offender of the Espionage Act.
US prosecutors originally wanted to try Assange on 18 charges, mostly under the Espionage Act, for leaking secret US military documents relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In a 2019 report detailing 18 charges, Washington accused the WikiLeaks founder of conspiring to illegally access US military databases and obtain sensitive information.
Assange has always denied the allegations, saying the leaks were the work of the press.
image source, EPA
However, this Wednesday, Assange will only answer to one charge. According to a report by the BBC’s sister station in the US, CBS News, Justice Department lawyers have suggested 62 months in prison after pleading guilty.
But Assange will not spend any time in a US prison because, according to the deal, with He will be given credit for the approximately five years he spent in prison in the United Kingdom.
If convicted of the original 18 counts, Assange’s lawyers said their client could have faced up to 175 years in prison, although the US government argued that four to six years was more likely.
Why Mariana Islands?
A letter released by the US Department of Justice said Assange did not believe he would go to the US to plead guilty, as per the deal. This document indicates that you are willing to voluntarily return to the United States.
The WikiLeaks founder is deeply distrustful of the US governmentHe accused his officers of allegedly plotting his murder.
Also, logistically it makes sense to keep the investigation on the islands They are relatively close to AustraliaAbout 3,200 kilometers away.
The Department of Justice has promised that Assange will return to his home country shortly after making his statement.
image source, Reuters
How was the agreement reached?
In the early hours of Tuesday morning in the UK, WikiLeaks released a statement on X.
The statement said Assange’s release was “the result of a global campaign” that “created space for protracted negotiations with the US judiciary.”
“WikiLeaks published stories exposing government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions. As editor-in-chief, Julian paid hard for these principles and the public’s right to know.”
The site is currently run by Icelandic journalist Kristin Hrafnsson.
Hrafnson reiterated that Assange’s plea deal was “the result of a long, long process” and that more details would be released in the next 24 hours.
image source, PA average
“It’s been an uphill battle,” Hrafson said, stressing that the focus now is on reuniting Assange with his family.
The campaign to free Assange gained momentum in the past two weeks after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a Supreme Court decision in London to allow him to appeal against his extradition to the United States.
BBC legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg explained that these types of deals are common and that it is not unusual for US authorities to accept a guilty plea to a crime in exchange for the accused’s freedom.
Stella Assange, the wife of the WikiLeaks founder, told Reuters news agency that she would apologize after her husband’s expected guilty plea.
She said her husband’s pending prosecution under the Espionage Act was of “very serious concern” to journalists around the world.
Any future pardon must be granted by the President of the United States.
reactions
Assange’s supporters around the world have begun celebrating the news of his possible releaseBut those close to him have cautioned that it is not a sealed deal until a Northern Mariana Islands judge signs off tomorrow.
In its earlier statement, WikiLeaks described the deal as “not yet formally finalised”.
Stella Assange insisted it was difficult for her family to “plan or even imagine the next hours and days”. That’s how fast things move.
But the formal presentation of his case suggests Assange should soon be a free man, barring any last-minute legal complications.
image source, Good pictures
However, not everyone shares the same joy at their initial release.
Former Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence strongly criticized the dealCalling it a “miscarriage of justice”, he said he “should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”.
In a post
Remember that you can receive notifications on our app. Download the latest version and activate them.
