Reported about 1 year ago
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has reached a plea deal with the US Department of Justice to admit to charges related to 'participation in the largest espionage case in US history' to avoid jail time in the US. Assange has left a UK prison and will return to his home country, Australia, once the plea deal is approved by a US federal judge. Assange, who established WikiLeaks in 2006, gained international attention for releasing classified documents such as videos of US military airstrikes in Baghdad, US military actions in Afghanistan, and toxic waste dumping in Ivory Coast. While he received various accolades for promoting free speech, such as the 2008 'Economist Freedom of Speech Award' and the 2009 'International Amnesty Media Award,' his actions were also criticized as reckless and dangerous by the US government. Facing up to 175 years in prison for his involvement in the leaks, Assange's agreement with the US government allows him to serve a 62-month sentence, equivalent to his time served in a UK prison, avoiding extradition to the US in what is considered a victory for him.
Source: YAHOO