CPJ welcomes Assange’s release following plea deal

The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s release following a plea deal with the United States Justice Department.

Assange pleaded guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified national defense information in a plea deal finalized in federal court in the Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Western Pacific. On Wednesday, Assange returned to his native Australia.

“Julian Assange faced a prosecution that had grave implications for journalists and press freedom worldwide,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “While we welcome the end of his detention, the U.S.’s pursuit of Assange has set a harmful legal precedent by opening the way for journalists to be tried under the Espionage Act if they receive classified material from whistleblowers. This should never have been the case.”

Assange was indicted on 17 counts under the Espionage Act and one count under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in relation to WikiLeaks publication of classified material, including the Iraq War logs. If convicted under these charges, he would have faced up to 175 years in prison.

CPJ has long opposed U.S. attempts to prosecute Assange and campaigned for his release jointly with other organizations.

Read CPJ’s statement.

CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists)