Julian Assange Returns to Australia Following U.S. Plea Deal

Julian Assange returned to Australia as a free man after reaching a plea deal with U.S. authorities. The WikiLeaks founder, who had been involved in a prolonged legal battle over the publication of U.S. military secrets, was sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to a single count of conspiracy.

Today is a historic day. It brings to an end 14 years of legal battles," lawyer Jen Robinson told reporters outside court.

His plane landed in Canberra, where he was greeted by his wife and father. Assange’s return to Australia followed a journey that began in Britain, where he had been imprisoned for over five years. He then traveled to the Northern Mariana Islands, where he entered his guilty plea.

Assange's legal troubles began over a decade ago with the publication of classified documents, which the U.S. government claimed endangered national security. Despite the plea deal, Assange's family hopes for a presidential pardon, arguing that his actions were in the public interest.

What are the details of the plea deal?

The US indicted Assange on multiple counts of violating the Espionage Act after WikiLeaks published a trove of national security documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as diplomatic cables.

Under the deal, Assange pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining and publishing national defense documents. The US has dropped 17 other espionage charges against him.

For now, Assange is reuniting with his family in Australia.

Refrence:

htps://www.dw.com/en/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-freed-in-us-plea-deal/a-69475173

htps://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/julian-assange-arrives-home-australia-free-man-us-plea-deal-rcna158970