Assange has been granted bail and was reportedly released from a high-security prison in the UK on Monday. This follows a deal with the US, where Assange is expected to plead guilty to disclosing state secrets.
The WikiLeaks founder has been in a British prison since 2019, with the US lobbying hard to have him extradited to the country to face punishment for the classified material he released to the public in 2010.
On Monday, the 52-year-old was released from the high-security prison, according to Wikileaks on X. He was reportedly granted bail by the High Court in London, where he was then allowed to leave the country to return to Australia.
“After more than five years in a 2×3 meter cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon be reunited with his wife Stella Assange and their children, who have only known their father behind bars”, it said.
Julian Assange boards flight at London Stansted Airport at 5PM (BST) Monday June 24th. This is for everyone who worked for his freedom: thank you.#FreedJulianAssange pic.twitter.com/Pqp5pBAhSQ
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 25, 2024
According to reports, Assange has reached a plea deal with the US in which he has agreed to plead guilty to the crimes of which he is accused. On Wednesday, he will appear in a US court on the island of Saipan, near Australia. There, the deal will be approved by a judge. Assange will then be sentenced to 62 months in prison. It is likely that the time spent in the British prison will count as time served.
– Whatever people’s views on Julian Assange and his activities, the case has dragged on for too long, there is nothing to be gained by his continued detention and we want him brought home to Australia, said Australia’s prime minister, according to The Guardian, which also confirmed that Assange is on his way home.
