WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange walks free from UK jail after deal with US

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has decided to plead guilty under an agreement with the US Justice Department, which resulted in his freedom after five years in a British prison and return to Australia, WikiLeaks and court documents said.

Wikileaks said on Monday that "Julian Assange is free", adding its founder had left a British prison and was flown out of the United Kingdom.

Wikileaks announced Assange's whereabouts shortly after court documents showed he was due to plead guilty later this week to violating US espionage law — in which he revealed alleged war crimes by American troops — in a deal that will allow him to return home to Australia.

Documents filed on Monday evening revealed Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in one of the largest US government breaches of classified material, as part of a deal with the Justice Department that will allow him to avoid imprisonment in the US.

The WikiLeaks founder is expected to appear in court and be sentenced to 62 months, with credit for time served in a British prison, allowing him to return to his birthplace, Australia.

Australia's government said it is aware of Assange's legal proceedings, adding that his case has "dragged on for too long".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "has been clear — Mr Assange’s case has dragged on for too long and there is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration," a government spokesperson said.

A UN expert on Wednesday hailed the decision of the High Court of Justice in London to allow Assange's appeal against his extradition to the US, calling it a "welcome relief."

However, Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture, warned in a statement that "the case is not over yet."

"I welcome the High Court’s decision to allow the case to proceed to a full appeal. This is a terribly complex case, but at the heart of it are issues around human rights and values we hold as a society and the protections afforded to those who disclose potential war crimes," Edwards said.

'Lengthy legal battles'

In a recent development, the court ruled that the US assurances were not sufficiently convincing, paving the way for a reexamination of Assange's appeal.

Consequently, he will not be legally extraditable to the US to stand trial on 18 charges related to the Espionage Act of 1917 due to the alleged dissemination of classified information via WikiLeaks.

"The impact of this long-running legal saga has taken a heavy toll on Mr. Assange’s health. I hope that relevant governments, including Mr. Assange’s own country Australia, can come to an agreement, rather than proceed further with lengthy legal battles," she said.

Assange, who has been detained in a UK prison since 2019, faces extradition over allegations of leaking classified documents in 2010-2011.

A seeker of truth

The UK High Court, in a pivotal 2021 ruling, decreed that Assange should be extradited, dismissing assertions over his fragile mental state and the risks he might face in a US correctional facility.

Following the suit, the Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2022, while then-Home Secretary Priti Patel affirmed the extradition order.

In his latest bid for a reprieve, Assange is seeking authorisation to scrutinise Patel's determination and challenge the initial 2021 court verdict.

A UK High Court ruling in March granted Assange the right to appeal his extradition to the US, deciding against the immediate implementation of the decision.

In the 2010s, WikiLeaks began releasing a series of explosive disclosures, including hundreds of thousands of secret US military documents related to the American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as numerous confidential diplomatic cables, that included possible war crimes committed by the US military.

These cables contained candid and unflattering assessments by US diplomats of foreign counterparts, including heads of state whose cooperation was essential in "countering terrorism".

By acquiring and boldly publishing top secret US government documents, many of which were newsworthy and germane to global political discourse, Assange is often viewed by many as a hero, a seeker of truth, and a champion of democracy.