Assange Strikes Plea Deal: Freedom from Prison Power Move

Julian Assange plea deal with Justice Department allows immediate return to Australia

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the largest US government breaches of classified material. This plea deal with the Justice Department will allow Assange to avoid imprisonment in the United States. Under the agreement, prosecutors will seek a 62-month sentence, which equates to the time Assange has already served in a high-security London prison. This will enable him to immediately return to Australia. The plea deal must be approved by a federal judge. As of Monday, Assange was released from the UK prison and boarded a plane to Australia.

Assange is expected to plead guilty at a hearing and sentencing in the Northern Mariana Islands, located near Australia. This deal follows US authorities’ pursuit of Assange for publishing confidential military records provided by Chelsea Manning in 2010 and 2011. He faced 18 counts with a potential maximum sentence of 175 years. Recently, President Joe Biden hinted at a possible deal influenced by Australian officials, despite opposition from FBI and Justice Department officials who insisted on a felony guilty plea. Last month, a UK court allowed Assange to appeal his extradition to the US.