WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the Justice Department in relation to his alleged involvement in a significant US government breach of classified material. According to newly filed federal court documents, Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge, which will allow him to avoid imprisonment in the United States.
As per the terms of the agreement, prosecutors from the Justice Department will seek a 62-month sentence for Assange, equivalent to the time he has already served in a high-security prison in London while resisting extradition to the US. The plea deal would credit this time served, enabling Assange to immediately return to his native country, Australia.
The final approval of the plea deal is pending before a federal judge. Assange had been facing 18 counts from a 2019 indictment, with a maximum possible sentence of up to 175 years in prison, although it was unlikely that he would receive the full extent of this sentence.
The charges against Assange stem from his alleged role in publishing confidential military records provided by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010 and 2011. US officials claimed that Assange had encouraged Manning to obtain a vast amount of unfiltered US diplomatic cables, potentially endangering confidential sources, as well as information related to Iraq war activities and Guantanamo Bay detainees.
President Joe Biden has hinted at a potential deal facilitated by Australian government officials to repatriate Assange to Australia. FBI and Justice Department officials have reportedly insisted on a felony guilty plea as part of any agreement.
Recently, a UK court ruled in favor of Assange, granting him the right to appeal his final challenge against extradition to the US. This decision marks a significant development in Assange's prolonged legal battle to evade prosecution in the United States for the alleged offenses.
