WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange admitted on Wednesday to breaking US law by encouraging classified leaks. He entered his plea in a US courtroom in Saipan, shortly after arriving from a London jail where he had been detained. Assange, however, argued that the law he pleaded guilty to violating infringes upon “free-speech rights.”
As part of a deal with federal prosecutors, the 52-year-old will be deported to his home country of Australia. This agreement brings an end to a prolonged international effort to prosecute Assange, which began in 2010 and 2011 following the release of sensitive US military documents, war logs, and diplomatic cables. These leaks included footage of a US airstrike in Baghdad from a few years prior.
Assange’s plea and the subsequent agreement with prosecutors mark a significant development in the long-running saga of the WikiLeaks founder. The case has raised complex questions about the balance between national security and freedom of the press, and the extent to which individuals can be held accountable for releasing classified information.
