WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be freed Wednesday under a deal with the US Justice Department. Under this agreement, he would plead guilty and then settle the case against him for publishing confidential documents. But, in this entire exercise, they are going not to the mainland of America but to one of its islands, the Mariana Islands.
The US Justice Department said in a court filing that Assange will appear in federal court in the Mariana Islands under US jurisdiction, where he will face charges of conspiracy to illegally obtain and transmit classified information related to national security under the Espionage Act. Assange’s guilty plea must be approved by a judge. With this, this criminal case, which created a sensation at the international level, will be solved.
Why choose the Mariana Islands?
In such a situation, questions are being raised that Assange chose Maria Island. Actually, the Mariana Islands are close to Australia. Assange has a home in Australia. His wife and children live in Australia. Assange plans to return to his family once acquitted at trial. He will meet his family after almost 14 years.
The Mariana Islands are the entire US. Not the state. People who live here are called US citizens but cannot vote in US presidential elections. US prosecutors say Assange wanted to appear in a court near his home in Australia. In such a situation, the Federal Court of Mariana Islands was chosen.
Many supporters of press freedom believe that Assange fulfilled his responsibility as a journalist by sharing classified documents to expose wrongdoing by the American military. On the other hand, investigators say Assange’s actions violated laws designed to protect the country’s sensitive information and put the country’s security at risk. Assange will plead guilty and be sentenced on Wednesday morning local time. He is likely to return to Australia after this.
Tags: America News
First published: June 25, 2024, 11:30 IST