Julian Assange's Wife Elated Over Plea Deal

Reuters - June 25, 2023

Stella Assange Expresses Joy Over Husband's Release

Stella Assange, the wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, expressed her elation on Tuesday over the news that her husband had agreed to a plea deal that would lead to his release from prison. Assange has been detained in the UK for five years, facing extradition to the United States on charges related to the publication of classified documents by WikiLeaks.

"I am elated," Stella Assange said in a statement. "This is incredible news. It's been a long and difficult road, but we never gave up hope. Julian is an innocent man who has been persecuted for his work."

Under the plea deal, Assange is expected to plead guilty to a lesser charge and serve a sentence in Australia, where he will be closer to his family. The terms of the deal are still being finalized, but it is a significant development in Assange's long-running legal battle.

Assange's supporters have long argued that his extradition to the US would be a threat to press freedom. The US government has accused WikiLeaks of publishing classified documents that put lives at risk, but Assange has maintained that he was acting as a journalist and that his actions were protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The plea deal represents a compromise between the US government and Assange's legal team. It allows Assange to avoid a lengthy prison sentence in the US, while also ensuring that he will be held accountable for his actions.

Stella Assange said she was "overwhelmed with emotion" at the news of her husband's release. "This is a victory for Julian, for our family, and for all those who believe in freedom of the press," she said.