After a 14-year legal saga, Julian Assange is free to return to Australia as part of a plea deal with the US Justice Department. Image source: martin_vmorris, via Wikimedia Commons.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has plead guilty to one charge of espionage before a Saipan court in a plea deal with the US Justice Department.
Under the agreement, Assange is free to return to Australia in exchange for a 62-month sentence already served in a UK prison.
Prosecutors said the Saipan court was chosen for its proximity to Australia and its location outside of the US mainland.
Approximately 3,000km north of Australia, Saipan is the closest Assange has been to his home country in over a decade.
Assange appeared before the court on Wednesday 26 June at about 9am local time in front of Chief Judge Ramona Manglona.
He arrived with Australian ambassador to the US and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Australian high commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith.
When asked to explain his crime, Assange told the court, “Working as a journalist, I encouraged my source to provide information that was said to be classified in order to publish that information.”
“I believed the First Amendment protected that activity, but I accept that it was… a violation of the espionage statute.
“I believe the First Amendment and the Espionage Act are in contradiction with each other, but I accept that it would be difficult to win such a case given all the circumstances,” he added.
Manglona ruled to accept the plea agreement, finding the 62-month sentence in Belmarsh Prison “fair and reasonable”, and imposed no period of supervised release nor any additional fines.
“With this pronouncement, it appears you will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man,” said Manglona.
“I hope there will be some peace restored.”
Court was adjourned at 11.59am, marking the end of Assange’s 14-year legal saga.
According to Brisbane-based Al Jazeera correspondent Sarah Clarke, Assange is expected to land in Canberra “as early as this evening”.
