27 Jun 2024

Julian Assange walks free from US court in Saipan

From , 6:02 am on 27 June 2024
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leaves the US Federal Courthouse in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, on June 26, 2024, after pleading guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information

Photo: AFP

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange walked free from a US Court on Saipan in the Northern Marianas on Wednesday after accepting a plea deal with the US ending a legal battle of more than 14 years for the Australian editor, publisher and activist.

As part of the deal Mr Assange pled guilty to one count of espionage and was sentenced to 62 months in prison which is time he has already served.

Immediately after the court proceedings Mr Assange flew out of the US Territory bound for Canberra, Australia.

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins spoke with RNZ Pacific correspondent in CNMI Mark Rabago who was at the court hearing in Saipan.