WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been released from a UK prison and is en route to Australia after agreeing to a US plea deal. Assange, 52, will admit to a charge of conspiring to acquire and release classified US defense documents, according to court records from the Northern Mariana Islands.

He was freed from Belmarsh prison on Monday and flown out of the UK. Assange is set to appear in a Saipan court on Wednesday at 9 am (Tuesday 23:00 GMT), where he will face sentencing for the time he has already served, totaling 62 months.

"Julian Assange is free," WikiLeaks announced on X (formerly Twitter). "He left Belmarsh prison on the morning of June 24 after spending 1901 days there. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and exited the UK from Stansted airport."

A video shared by WikiLeaks on X showed Assange in a blue shirt and jeans signing a document before boarding a private jet. Following the hearing, he will return to Australia.

The plane transporting Assange refueled in Bangkok before heading to the US territory. Stella Assange, Julian's wife, expressed her joy and astonishment at his imminent release.

"I’m just elated," she said from Australia. "He will be a free man once the judge signs off on it, which will occur tomorrow."

Julian Assange boards a flight at London Stansted Airport at 5 PM (BST) Monday, June 24. This is for everyone who worked for his freedom: thank you. #FreedJulianAssange pic.twitter.com/Pqp5pBAhSQ

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 25, 2024

Assange became well-known after founding WikiLeaks in 2006, providing a platform for whistleblowers to anonymously submit classified documents and videos.

The website gained significant notoriety with a 2010 release of numerous classified US documents about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as diplomatic cables. Videos showing a US Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad, which killed 12 people, including journalists, further raised its profile.

‘Holding the powerful accountable’

WikiLeaks published material about numerous countries, but it was the US under former President Donald Trump’s administration that charged Assange in 2019 with 17 counts under the Espionage Act.

US prosecutors say he conspired with Chelsea Manning, a former army intelligence analyst who was imprisoned for leaking materials to WikiLeaks. Manning’s sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama in 2017 after she served seven years.

The charges against Assange led to significant backlash, with supporters arguing that as a publisher and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, he should not face charges generally brought against government employees responsible for illegal leaks.

Press freedom advocates viewed the charges as a threat to free speech. WikiLeaks credited Assange with holding the powerful accountable for their actions and thanked those who supported and fought for his freedom.

Assange was first arrested in London in 2010 on a Swedish warrant for sexual misconduct allegations. Though he was bailed while the extradition case continued, Assange sought refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012 after a court allowed his extradition to Sweden for trial.

He remained in the embassy for seven years, during which Swedish authorities dropped the rape charges. He was arrested in 2019 by UK police for violating his bail conditions and remained imprisoned as the US extradition case proceeded through the courts.

The plea deal follows increased calls for US President Joe Biden to dismiss the case. Australia's government requested this in February 2024, prompting Biden to consider the request and raising hopes among Assange’s supporters.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia confirmed on Tuesday his desire for Assange to return home soon, stating that there was nothing to be gained from his continued imprisonment.

‘Power of quiet diplomacy’

Christine Assange, Julian's mother, said she was grateful her son's ordeal was nearing its end. She emphasized the significance and power of quiet diplomacy.

Jodie Ginsberg from the Committee to Protect Journalists also celebrated the news. She noted that Assange’s prosecution under the Espionage Act could have had serious global implications for journalists seeking and publishing classified information in the public interest.

Ginsberg added that the plea deal provides the Biden administration with a means to save face, given the increasing pressure, particularly from Australia, to release Assange.

In Australia, politicians who advocated for Assange’s release welcomed the news. Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce called it an encouraging development, albeit cautioning that the outcome was not yet final. He stressed the deal set a strong precedent that Australians should not face charges in other countries for actions not committed on their national soil.

Senator David Shoebridge from the Australian Greens said he eagerly awaited Assange’s return, stating Assange should never have faced espionage charges for exposing the realities of the US-Iraq war and other issues.