Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, appeared before a judge in the Northern Mariana Islands as part of his agreement with the US government. Assange, who had been released from Belmarsh prison in England, accepted a charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose confidential US national defense documents. Although he argued that the Espionage Act conflicts with freedom of expression, he acknowledged that encouraging sources to provide confidential information might be illegal. The court released Assange, considering his time already served. He has since set out for Australia, expected to arrive in Canberra.

Assange’s lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, called the day historic and thanked supporters and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for their diplomatic efforts. Barry Pollack, another of Assange’s lawyers, criticized the use of the Espionage Act against Assange, noting its unprecedented application to a publisher. Pollack emphasized Assange’s role in revealing critical information, including US war crimes, and welcomed the judge’s decision to release him.