Julian Assange Reaches Plea Deal with US Justice Department, Avoids Prison Time and Returns to Australia

Assange agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his role in publishing classified material
Assange faced up to 175 years in prison for alleged involvement in largest breach of classified material by US government
Assange gained international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents provided by Chelsea Manning
Deal allows Assange to avoid imprisonment in the US and return immediately to Australia
Deal comes after UK court ruled Assange had the right to appeal final challenge against extradition to US
Julian Assange reached a plea deal with the US Justice Department on June 24, 2024
Julian Assange Reaches Plea Deal with US Justice Department, Avoids Prison Time and Returns to Australia

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, reached a plea deal with the United States Justice Department on June 24, 2024. According to multiple sources, including CNN and The New York Times, Assange agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his role in publishing classified material. The deal will allow him to avoid imprisonment in the US and return immediately to his native country, Australia.

Assange had been facing up to 175 years in prison for his alleged involvement in one of the largest breaches of classified material by the US government. However, under the terms of this plea deal, he is expected to be sentenced to a term equal to the time he has already served in a high-security prison in London while fighting extradition.

The plea hearing and sentencing are scheduled for Wednesday morning at a federal court in Saipan, which is near Australia. Assange's legal team had opposed setting foot on US soil for the guilty plea due to concerns about potential further legal action against him.

Assange gained international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents provided by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. The documents included diplomatic cables, significant activity reports, and information related to Guantanamo Bay detainees. US officials alleged that Assange encouraged Manning to obtain the material and publish it on WikiLeaks.

The deal comes after a UK court ruled in May that Assange had the right to appeal his final challenge against extradition to the US, dealing a significant blow to US efforts to bring him back for trial. President Biden has reportedly been considering a request from Australian government officials for Assange's return.

Assange's legal troubles began in 2010 when he was arrested in Sweden on rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied. He spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden before being arrested by British police at the request of US authorities in 2019.

WikiLeaks played a significant role in the 2016 presidential election, publishing thousands of emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee that had been stolen by Russian government hackers. Assange and WikiLeaks are mentioned hundreds of times in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, though they were not charged for their actions related to the 2016 campaign.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are all facts in this article accurate and complete?
  • Is the plea deal a genuine agreement or a manipulation by the US government?

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act

CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Robert Legare, Tuesday, 25 June 2024 03:24
  • Unique Points
    • Assange opposed traveling to the continental U.S. to enter the guilty plea and is expected to return to Australia after the court hearing.
    • , Assange faced legal troubles since 2010, starting with a Swedish arrest warrant for rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied.
    • Assange was arrested by British police at the request of the U.S. government in 2019.
    • Assange previously denied all wrongdoing, arguing that he was acting as a journalist in reporting on government actions.
    • Assange has been in British custody since 2019 and launched a legal effort to resist extradition to the U.S. to face federal charges.
    • In May, Assange won his bid to appeal his extradition to the U.S. on espionage charges after a British court asked the U.S. government to assure that Assange would be granted free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution and that he would not be given the death penalty if convicted.
    • President Biden is considering a request from Australia to allow Assange to return to his native country, which calls for the U.S. to drop the case against him.
    • Assange faced legal troubles since 2010, starting with a Swedish arrest warrant for rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied.
    • Ecuador became irritated with Assange, accusing him of smearing feces on the walls and attacking its guards. Assange was arrested by British police at the request of the U.S. government in 2019.
    • WikiLeaks was a key player in the 2016 presidential election, publishing thousands of emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee that had been stolen by Russian government hackers.
    • Assange and WikiLeaks are mentioned hundreds of times in special counsel Robert Mueller’s 448-page report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, though they were not charged for the 2016 conduct.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains a few instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority. It also dichotomously depicts Assange as a journalist fighting for free speech versus someone who illegally obtained and disseminated classified information. However, no formal logical fallacies were identified.
    • . . . he was acting as a journalist in reporting on government actions.
    • Assange, an Australian national, was indicted in 2019 by a federal grand jury in Virginia with more than a dozen charges that alleged he illegally obtained and disseminated classified information about America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on his WikiLeaks site.
    • Assange previously denied all wrongdoing. He and his supporters argued the charges should never have been filed because he was acting as a journalist in reporting on government actions.
  • Bias (95%)
    The authors use language that depicts Assange as an 'informational terrorist' and someone who selectively releases information according to his ideological commitments. They also mention the allegations of rape and sexual assault against Assange without providing any context or evidence.
    • Assange has faced legal troubles for more than a decade, beginning in 2010 when a Swedish prosecutor issued an arrest warrant related to rape and sexual assault allegations by two women, which Assange denied.
      • Assange is expected to return to Australia after the court hearing.
        • At the request of the U.S. government, British police arrested Assange on April 11, 2019, at the embassy after Ecuador ended his asylum.
          • He exhausted our patience and pushed our tolerance to the limit.
            • Moreno accused Assange of being ‘an informational terrorist’ by selectively releasing information according to his ideological commitments.
              • Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation into Assange in 2017 and an international arrest warrant against him was withdrawn, but he was still wanted by British police for skipping bail when he entered the embassy.
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              97%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Julian Assange, WikiLeaks Founder, Agrees to Plead Guilty in Deal With U.S.

              The New York Times Glenn Thrush, Monday, 24 June 2024 23:20
              • Unique Points
                • Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, agreed to plead guilty to a felony count of illegally obtaining and disclosing national security material on Monday, June 24, 2024.
                • Assange is expected to be sentenced to about five years in prison, the equivalent of the time he has already served in Britain.
              • Accuracy
                • Julian Assange is expected to be sentenced to about five years in prison.
                • Assange is scheduled to appear before a federal judge at the courthouse in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
                • Assange is expected to fly back to Australia after the proceedings are concluded.
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              100%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Julian Assange agrees to plea deal with Biden administration that will allow him to avoid imprisonment in US

              CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Evan Perez, Monday, 24 June 2024 23:08
              • Unique Points
                • Julian Assange agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to the largest US government breaches of classified material.
                • Assange faced up to 175 years in prison for his alleged role in the breach, but was unlikely to be sentenced to that time in full.
                • Justice Department prosecutors will seek a sentence of 62 months, which is equal to the amount of time Assange has served in a high-security prison.
                • Assange had been released from a UK prison and expected to return to Australia after the court hearing.
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              96%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              U.S. Authorities Drop Julian Assange Extradition Demand & Strike Plea Deal; Outcome Hailed As “Historic Victory” For Press Freedom

              Deadline Hollywood Melanie Goodfellow Monday, 24 June 2024 23:42
              • Unique Points
                • Julian Assange struck a plea deal with US authorities to avoid extradition on espionage charges.
                • Assange will attend a hearing in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands on June 26.
                • Assange will be tried on one charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified information under the Espionage Act.
                • Assange will be sentenced for that offense and released after serving time served (62 months).
                • He will then be sent to Australia.
              • Accuracy
                • He will be tried on one charge of conspiring to unlawfully obtain and disseminate classified information under the Espionage Act.
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (90%)
                The article contains an appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. It also misrepresents the charges against Assange by suggesting he faced up to 175 years in prison if convicted, when in fact that was his potential sentence for one count under the Espionage Act. Additionally, it presents a dichotomous depiction of Assange as either a hero for press freedom or a dangerous threat to national security.
                • The deal ends a 14-year extradition battle with authorities in the U.S. where Assange is wanted on charges related to WikiLeaks’s 2010 internet dump of more than 500,000 secret government, military and diplomatic documents and other reports connected to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
                • Assange faced 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer misuse under the U.S. Espionage Act. His lawyers feared he faced up to 175 years in prison if convicted, while U.S. authorities said the sentence would be much shorter.
                • Reporters Without Borders RSF hailed the outcome as a historic victory for press freedom and the right to information.
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              97%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty in deal with US and be freed from prison

              The Associated Press News Site Monday, 24 June 2024 23:21
              • Unique Points
                • WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department.
                • Assange is expected to return to his home country of Australia after his plea and sentencing.
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (85%)
                The article contains several informal fallacies and an appeal to authority. The author uses inflammatory rhetoric by describing Assange as a 'hero' and 'cause célèbre' without providing any evidence or argument to support this claim. The author also states that Assange is expected to be sentenced to the five years he has already spent in prison, but this is not a fallacy as it is a statement of fact based on the information provided in the article. However, the author does use loaded language when describing Assange's actions as 'publishing documents that harmed the U.S. and its allies and aided its adversaries.' This is an appeal to emotion and an attempt to sway readers' opinions without providing any evidence or argument to support this claim. The author also uses the phrase 'years-long pursuit of a publisher' which is a dichotomous depiction, implying that Assange is solely responsible for the legal proceedings against him, ignoring the role of the U.S. government and its actions in initiating these proceedings.
                • WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that will allow him to walk free and resolve a long-running legal saga that spanned multiple continents and centered on the publication of a trove of classified documents.
                • Assange is expected to be sentenced to the five years he has already spent in prison.
                • The author describes Assange as a 'hero' and 'cause célèbre'
                • The author states that Assange's actions harmed the U.S. and its allies and aided its adversaries
                • The author uses the phrase 'years-long pursuit of a publisher'
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication