Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, will plead guilty to a felony charge under a deal with the U.S. Justice Department, resolving a prolonged legal conflict centered on the release of classified documents. According to court documents filed on June 24, 2024, Assange will admit to conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information under the Espionage Act.

The plea will be made before a federal court in the Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Western Pacific, with the hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning local time in Saipan. The location was chosen due to Assange’s opposition to traveling to the continental U.S. and for its proximity to Australia, where Assange is expected to return following his plea and sentencing.

This development concludes a legal battle involving multiple continents and varying perspectives on Assange’s role, with some viewing him as a journalist exposing U.S. military actions, while investigators argue his actions endangered national security.