Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has pleaded guilty to one charge of violating the Espionage Act in a U.S. federal court located in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, on June 26, 2024. This plea deal concludes a decade-long legal battle between Assange and U.S. prosecutors, allowing him to walk free after serving 62 months in a UK prison.
The charge stems from WikiLeaks' 2010 publication of classified U.S. military documents, initially leaked by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. Assange’s case has sparked widespread debate over press freedoms and the prosecution of journalists for obtaining and publishing classified information.
The proceedings were held in Saipan to accommodate Assange’s reluctance to attend court in the continental United States and due to its proximity to Australia. Assange arrived at the court with Australia's Ambassador to the U.S., Kevin Rudd, and other Australian officials. Following the plea, he is expected to return to Australia.
This case marks the first successful application of the Espionage Act against someone for the act of publishing classified information, raising concerns about the implications for press freedoms.