Julian Paul Assange, Australian publisher and founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from UK prison after striking a deal with US Justice Department.
Under the settlment, Assange will plead guilty to a single charge and will not serve any additional time in US custody. Reports shared in international media said Julian is expected to plead guilty to an Espionage Act charge in a court in the Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific.
He will be sentenced to five years, the same amount of time he has already served in prison while fighting extradition to the US.
The charges against Assange stem from WikiLeaks’ publication of classified information related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Assange’s release follows a long legal battle and comes after he won the right to appeal an extradition order.
His release has been hailed by supporters, who have campaigned for his freedom for years.
As his release from prison is being celebrated by his supporters, Espionage Act will still create problems for him.
