Julian Assange Reaches Plea Deal, Ending Decade-Long Legal Battle

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has reached a plea deal with US prosecutors, ending a decade-long legal battle. Assange, who has been in custody in the UK and sought asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, pled guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defense documents. The plea deal includes a sentence of 62 months already served, allowing Assange to return to Australia. Advocates for press freedom, while pleased with his impending release, are concerned about the implications of his guilty plea. The negotiations for the deal began five months ago, with the US Justice Department indicating a willingness to accept a plea bargain. This resolution has been supported by both the Australian and US governments.