Julian Assange's Plea Deal
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is due to plead guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents, in a deal that will end his imprisonment in Britain and allow him to return home to Australia after a 14-year legal odyssey.
Key Points
- Agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal count
- To be sentenced to 62 months of time already served
- Will return to Australia after the hearing
Pros
- End of a long legal battle for Assange
- Allows Assange to return home to Australia
- Global campaign success
Cons
- Pleading guilty to violating U.S. espionage law
- Potential impact on press freedom