WikiLeaks: Julian Assange is officially free and on his way to Australia after guilty plea agreement

Julian Assange flew to Canberra after being declared free following his guilty plea agreement. EPA/MAXPPP – SAMANTHA SALAMON

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty this Wednesday, June 26, to having violated the American law on espionage before a court in the Northern Mariana Islands, a Pacific archipelago belonging to the United States , during a hearing at the end of which he was declared free by the judge.

This is the end of a long legal drama for the Australian national whom the United States wanted to bring to justice for having "flee& ;quot; in 2010 tens of thousands of American documents classified as defense secrets.

Julian Assange, 52, had been fighting his extradition to the United States for years, taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London before being arrested and placed in detention in 2019 in a high security British prison. He will now be able to return to Australia.

During the hearing, which lasted three hours, this Wednesday, June 26, the founder of WikiLeaks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified American documents. He said, however, that he believed his activities were protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which establishes freedom of speech.

One "historical"day

"As a journalist, I encouraged my source to provide information that was classified in order to publish that information", he said in court. "I thought the First Amendment protected this activity but I agree it’was […] a violation" of the Espionage Act.

In accordance with an agreement made public the day before by U.S. prosecutors, District Judge Ramona V. Manglona accepted Julian Assange's guilty plea and declared him "free" due to the length of time already served in a British prison.

"Today is a historic day. It puts an end to 14 years of legal battles", said the Australian’s lawyer.

Julian Assange was due to board a private plane shortly after noon at Saipan airport, along with the Australian ambassadors to the United States and Great Britain, bound for Canberra. According to information from the AFP, he is prohibited from returning to the United States without authorization.