Julian Assange pleads guilty in US court
WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands – October 23, 2023
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in a US court in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. The plea deal is part of an agreement with US authorities that will see Assange extradited to the US to face further charges.
Assange was arrested in London in 2019 after spending seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he had sought asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations. He was extradited to the US in 2021 to face charges related to the publication of classified US military and diplomatic documents by WikiLeaks in 2010.
The plea deal is a significant development in the long-running legal battle between Assange and the US government. Assange has argued that the charges against him are politically motivated and that he is being persecuted for exposing US government wrongdoing. The US government has maintained that Assange is a criminal who endangered national security.
The plea deal is likely to end Assange's extradition battle and pave the way for his trial in the US. However, the details of the deal remain confidential, and it is unclear what sentence Assange will face if convicted.
Komentar