WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is due to plead guilty on Wednesday to violating US espionage law. The court will in turn end his imprisonment in Britain and allow him to return home to Australia.
Assange, 52, has agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence documents. He is due to be sentenced to 62 months of time. The court ruled that he has already served this time.
The island in the Pacific was chosen due to Assange’s opposition to travelling to the mainland US and for its proximity to Australia, prosecutors said.
Assange left Belmarsh prison in the UK on Monday. He was given bail by the UK High Court and he then boarded a flight that afternoon.
WikiLeaks said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
“This is the result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organisers, press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations.”
A video posted on X by WikiLeaks showed Assange dressed in a blue shirt and jeans signing a document before boarding a private jet. He will return to Australia after the hearing, the WikiLeaks statement added, referring to the hearing in Saipan.
Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, said in a post on X.
“Julian is free!!!!”
“Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU – yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true.”
FlightRadar24 data shows the VistaJet plane that departed Stansted was headed to Bangkok. This was the only VistaJet plane that dep
A spokesperson for Assange in Australia declined to comment on his flight plans. VistaJet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
With inputs from Reuters
