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A judge Northern Mariana Islands, US Territory, sentenced WikiLeaks founder Julian Assangewhich allowed him to return to Australia “like a free man” after he pleaded guilty to violating
A judge Northern Mariana Islands, US Territory, sentenced WikiLeaks founder Julian Assangewhich allowed him to return to Australia “like a free man” after he pleaded guilty to violating the US Espionage Act as part of a deal with the Justice Department.
“It appears that with this statement he will be able to leave this room as a free man. I hope this will help restore peace,” said Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona of the US Federal Court for the Northern Mariana Islands in Saipan, where the hearing took place.
Villagomez Manglona explained that he accepted the terms agreed between the Department of Justice and Assange’s defense and, in accordance with that agreement, sentenced him to 62 months in prison, but gave him credit for time already served at Belmarsh maximum security prison. (UK) so it will be automatically released.
The crime Julian Assange pleaded guilty to of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US documents carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, but thanks to the plea agreement he will avoid doing more time in prison. . jail.
Assange was thus found guilty of one criminal charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified US documents related to the largest leak in US history in 2010, which included nearly half a million documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After receiving the verdict, Assange, who had maintained a calm face throughout the hearing, appeared slightly emotional and nodded as the judge said:
“It seems this matter will end for me here in Saipan.“, according to a British newspaper The keeper.
The hearing took place without cameras in a US federal courtroom located on the island of Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific Ocean.
The Australian’s defense asked for the hearing to be held at this location because of its proximity to Australia and because Assange did not want to travel to the mainland United States.
On its X account, WikiLeaks said the plane carrying Assange, 52, would depart from the Northern Mariana Islands for Australia at around 12:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Assange will join his wife Stella and two children in Australia. (EFE)
Source: Aristegui Noticias
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