Assange plea could see him avoid US prison

THE US government is reportedly considering offering Julian Assange a plea deal that could see him released from jail in Britain without setting foot in America.

Department of Justice officials are considering allowing the Australian Wikileaks founder to plead guilty to mishandling classified information, which carries a lower sentence than the espionage charges he faces for publishing thousands of classified files on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Mr Assange, 52, has been engaged in a legal battle to avoid extradition to the US to face the charges, and is currently imprisoned in HMP Belmarsh, where he has been living for almost five years.

The Wall Street Journal reported that officials are drawing up plans for a plea deal with Mr Assange’s lawyers, but have not yet reached an agreement. If the deal went ahead, the time he has spent in prison in the UK would count towards his US sentence, potentially making his release imminent.

He would also likely be allowed to plead remotely, removing the requirement to attend court in the US.

A UK court is considering a last-ditch appeal from Mr Assange, which argues that extradition would threaten his right to free speech. A British judge ruled in 2021 that he should not be extradited owing to mental health concerns, but the decision was overturned on appeal by the US government.

Mr Assange’s lawyers argue that he has been subject to a politically-motivated prosecution by the US in retaliation for revealing embarrassing government secrets. They say that under the espionage charges, he faces up to 175 years in jail in Australia, after US prosecutors agreed to let him serve his sentence in his home country.

The Department of Justice said last month that the data revealed by Mr Assange had compromised US intelligence sources across the globe, and that many had “disappeared”.

Barry Pollack, Mr Assange’s US attorney, said: “It is inappropriate for Mr Assange’s lawyers to comment while his case is before the UK High Court other than to say we have been given no indication that the Department of Justice intends to resolve the case and the United States is continuing with as much determination as ever to seek his extradition on all 18 charges, exposing him to 175 years in prison.”

The Department of Justice was contacted for comment.