Julian Assange poised for release after plea deal

Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to be released after agreeing to a plea deal with the U.S. Department of Justice. Legal documents imply he’ll receive a 62-month sentence but will be freed due to time served. Leaving Belmarsh Prison for a court hearing in the Northern Mariana Islands, Assange is set to return to Australia. The release follows international campaigns advocating for his freedom, pressuring from figures across the political spectrum including the Australian Prime Minister, who deems Assange’s continued detention pointless. Assange’s legal troubles in the U.S. stem from WikiLeaks’ disclosure of classified documents in 2010. While the U.S. views his actions as national security threats, his supporters argue they’re in defense of press freedom.