WikiLeaks founder and popular journalist Julian Assange has finally become a free man after a plea deal following a 14 year legal battle with the US government. Two days after leaving the HMP Belmarsh British prison, Assange pleaded guilty at Saipan court in the Northern Mariana Island, an American occupied pacific territory. In return of the plea deal, Assange was sentenced to the time he has already spent in prison and was released to travel back to his home country Australia where he will be reunited with family, friends and supporters.
In 2010, Assange was accused of releasing US defence department classified files to the public, an act which the court said put the lives of US citizens in danger. During the hearing, Assange admitted to judge Ramona V Manglon that he had encouraged his source to provide information on classified documents and believed that bybeing a journalist, he was protected by his first amendment rights. To let the matter rest, he agreed that the act was against the United States Espionage Act. He pleaded guilty to felony charges involving the disclosure of National Defence Information.
WikiLeaks released a footage showing US military helicopter killing Iraqi citizens in the capital of Baghdad. Documents accusing US soldiers killing hundreds of Afghan citizens in undocumented incidents was also part of the WikiLeaks release. Assange has made it known to the public through interviews that he did not just plead guilty because he wants to go home to his family but that he does profoundly regret his actions that have brought him before the court.
During the last years, Assange has been fighting extradition to the US while in Belmarsh prison. In 2010, he was also accused of rape and sexual assault in Sweden. He spent seven years hiding in the Ecuador embassy in London fearing that if he was arrested by Swedish authorities, they could provide the US government with access to him. In 2019, the Sweden authorities decided to drop the rape case due the fact that it has been a long time since complaint was made. Assange was later tried in London for not surrendering himself for extradition to Sweden.
While leaving the Saipan courtroom, Assange could be seen hugging his lawyers, shaking the hands and signing autographs for his diehard supporters who followed him. The 52 year will be home in time next week to celebrate his 53rd birthday.
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Written by: Sema Fonkem
Image: Wikimedia
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