Wikileaks founder Julian Assange walks free after plea deal in US court | BBC News

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has walked free from a US court after pleading guilty in a deal to end a years-long legal battle.

He faces no further prison time and is due to fly home to Australia, following the hearing held in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory.

Assange was pursued by US prosecutors for leaking a vast amount of secret military information, and had faced a long sentence in a high security prison.

Last week, he signed a deal with the US that would see him plead guilty to one espionage charge instead of the 18 he was originally facing.

#Wikileaks #JulianAssange #BBCNews

[wqfmedy]

He reports on the real criminals and he gets convicted, what a world we live in 😊

[Krilium]

He wasn’t just “leaking secret information” he was exposing evil. It was for the benefit of humanity.

[korocam]

Go home and be with Family and heal.. good on ya mate! 🙌🏽

[VictorCharlesEvans]

ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING THE WAY THE USA AND THE TORY GOVERNMENT HAVE TREATED A HONEST JOURNALIST!!!

[johnpixton]

About time.
He was guilty of exposing America's war crimes.
That's it.

[sharms]

He's coming home but it's absolutely disgusting it took this long, a bitter sweet victory 😓

[Dungshoveleux]

A journalist who published details of US war crimes. But the BBC will never describe it this way.

[PerceivedREALITY]

Edward Snowden; "When exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you are being ruled by criminals." A win for Assange is a win for humanity.

[felicezeller]

Freedom for a man who spoke about freedom and truth!

[odeode]

And once again the US legal system secures a conviction by coercion.

[sridhardabu]

A man is charged for crime, he pleads not guilty and so kept in jail, then he pleads guilty and is set free.
What kind of justice is this?

[thomasmaddox]

So very, very happy for Julian. Take care my brave man!

[jannford]

Come on home, Julian 💐😎 Raise those boys to fight the good fight like their courageous Dad.

[gcon]

He's been through a lot, just for telling the truth

[LewisJohniom]

It’s nice to wake up in a World where #JulianAssange Is A Free Man!

[healingrays]

Our hero Assange's freedom is a great omen that humanity will be free soon!

[PerceivedREALITY]

Independent journalists with journalistic integrity are the heroes of our time.

[fintonmainz]

The British are the ones who kept him in prison.
The home Secretary had the power to release him at any time

[alkazeicer]

Julian is the hero we all need these He was made example what is happening for free speach

[jenlambie]

He exposed some of the most heinous war crimes ever committed by anyone, then alone those American forces in Iraq & Afghanistan. Mr Assange is imprisoned, but not one American faced justice. Deplorable & disgusting. Toasting you tonight, a principled man, thank you.