WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has been released from Belmarsh Prison in the UK after reaching a deal with the US Justice Department. His wife confirmed his release in a video statement, marking the end of his 12-year legal battle.
Julian Assange has been released from Belmarsh Prison in the UK after reaching a deal with the US Justice Department. His wife, Stella Assange, confirmed his release in a video statement recorded on June 19 and made public on June 25. Assange, 52, had been imprisoned for approximately five years on remand after his removal from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he had lived for seven years under political asylum.
WikiLeaks posted a video on June 25 showing Assange boarding a flight at London’s Stansted Airport, heading to Australia. His release comes after agreeing to plead guilty to violating US espionage laws in a plea deal that will allow him to return home without serving additional jail time.
Assange was initially charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified national defense information after WikiLeaks published thousands of US military and diplomatic documents. The plea deal will be finalized in a court in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Assange is expected to reunite with his wife and children in Australia, marking the end of his 12-year legal battle.
