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Julian Assange expected to be freed after 5 years in UK prison under US plea deal

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Julian Assange expected to be freed after 5 years in UK prison under US plea deal

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has accepted a plea deal with the US government that will allow him to avoid jail time in the states over his leaking of top secret military information.

Assange is expected to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act and receive credit for time served for the five years he spent behind bars in the UK while fighting extradition to the US, according to court documents and reports.

Assange, of Australia, was charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information for releasing classified reports of the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on his WikiLeaks site, according to the documents.

Julian Assange has reached a deal with the US that allows him to go free after five years in a UK prison. AFP via Getty Images
Assange is expected to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act. AFP via Getty Images

He’s expected to be released from UK custody after he pleads guilty during a federal US court hearing in the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the US this week.

Assange is expected to get credit for time served for the five years he spent in prison in the UK. AFP via Getty Images
The HMP Belmarsh building in London where Assange has been held since 2019. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images
Stella Assange addressing supporters of her husband at a protest in London on May 20, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
A protesters holding a poster calling for Assange to be freed outside the High Court in London on May 20, 2024. AP

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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