The Conclusion of Julian Assange’s Legal Saga

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing US military secrets Wednesday in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that secures his liberty and concludes a drawn-out legal saga that raised divisive questions about press freedom and national security.

The Unusual Court Setting

The criminal case of international intrigue, which has played out for years on major world stages in Washington and London, came to a surprise end in a most unusual setting with Assange entering his plea in a US district court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. The American commonwealth in the Pacific is relatively close to Assange’s native Australia and accommodated his desire to avoid entering the continental United States.

Assange’s Plea Deal and Sentence

The deal required Assange to admit guilt to a single felony count but also permitted him to return to Australia without any time in an American prison. The judge sentenced him to the five years he’d already spent behind bars in the United Kingdom, fighting extradition to the United States on an Espionage Act indictment that could have carried a lengthy prison sentence in the event of a conviction. He was holed up for seven years before that in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Reactions and Consequences

The conclusion enables both sides to claim a degree of satisfaction. The Justice Department could resolve a case that raised thorny legal issues, while Assange, for his part, signalled contentment with the resolution, accepting the consequences of soliciting classified information for publication. Assange’s lawyer expressed concerns about the case setting a dangerous precedent for journalists.

After the hearing, Jennifer Robinson, one of Assange’s lawyers, told reporters that the case “sets a dangerous precedent that should be a concern to journalists everywhere.”

Assange arrived at court in a dark suit with a tie loosened around the collar after flying from Britain on a charter plane accompanied by members of his legal team and Australian officials.

Inside the courthouse, he answered basic questions from the judge and appeared upbeat and relaxed during the hearing.

The plea deal represents the latest chapter in a court fight involving the eccentric Australian computer expert who has been celebrated by supporters as a transparency crusader but criticized by national security hawks.

Assange’s Return to Australia

After the morning court hearing, Assange left Saipan by plane around midday headed for Australia, where relatives were waiting to be reunited with him.