WikiLeaks Founder Set to Plead Guilty to Espionage Act Charges After Extradition Battle
Julian Assange has arrived on a remote Pacific island for a court hearing that marks the end of his lengthy fight to avoid extradition to the United States. The WikiLeaks founder is scheduled to appear in federal court on the Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific, to formally plead guilty to a charge under the Espionage Act. This plea deal is part of an agreement that will see Assange walk free after admitting to conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defence information.
Assange was granted bail by the High Court in London earlier this week and released from Belmarsh Prison after lengthy negotiations with US authorities. Following his release, Assange boarded a chartered plane on Monday, which stopped for refuelling in Bangkok before continuing to its final destination. Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, confirmed that they are paying $500,000 for the flight back to Australia.
The charges against Assange stem from the publication of thousands of classified documents relating to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which were leaked through WikiLeaks. Following his plea and sentencing, Assange will return to his home country of Australia. His father, John Shipton, expressed relief, stating that Assange’s release has “lifted a huge burden” from the family.
Assange’s legal battle, which began with his 2012 asylum request in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, has finally come to a resolution, with this court hearing marking the formal closure of his extradition case.
