Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that will allow him to be released from prison after serving five years in a British jail.
Under the terms of the deal, Assange will plead guilty to a single charge of conspiring to acquire and disclose classified national defense information. In exchange, prosecutors have recommended a 62-month sentence, which will factor in the time he has already spent in custody in the UK.
The charges against Assange stem from WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as diplomatic cables, in 2010. The U.S. government alleged that Assange collaborated with former military intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to obtain and disseminate this sensitive information, jeopardizing the safety of informants and others.
Assange has been detained in Belmarsh Prison in London for the last five years, following a seven-year period of exile at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He has been contesting extradition to the U.S. for over a decade, with recent legal developments granting him the opportunity for a full hearing on his appeal.
The plea deal marks a sudden resolution to a complex criminal case that has captured international attention. Upon the conclusion of the court proceedings this week, Assange is anticipated to be freed and allowed to return to his native Australia.
The impending guilty plea comes after years of advocacy by press freedom campaigners, legislators, and leaders from across the political spectrum, as well as the United Nations, all of whom have fought for Assange’s release. His freedom is seen as a victory for the public’s right to know and hold the powerful accountable.