Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will be freed on Wednesday as per an agreement made with the US Justice Department. Under this agreement, he will accept a serious charge and then the case against him for publishing confidential documents will be settled. But, in this entire exercise, he is not going to the mainland of America but to one of its islands, Mariana Island.
The US Justice Department has said in a letter filed in the court that Assange will appear in the federal court of Mariana Islands under US jurisdiction, where he will accept the charges under the Espionage Act for conspiring to illegally obtain and disseminate confidential information related to national security. Assange’s confession of crime will have to be approved by the judge. With this, this criminal case, which has created a sensation internationally, will be settled.
Why did you choose Mariana Islands?
In such a situation, questions are being raised as to why Assange has chosen Mariana Island. Actually, Mariana Island is close to Australia. Assange’s house is in Australia itself. His wife and children live in Australia itself. Assange plans to go to his family as soon as he is acquitted in the case. He will meet his family after about 14 years.
Mariana Islands is not a full state of America. People living here are called American citizens but they cannot vote in the US presidential elections. American prosecutors say that Assange wanted to appear in a court that is closer to his home in Australia. In such a situation, the federal court of Mariana Islands was chosen.
Many supporters of freedom of the press believe that Assange fulfilled his duty as a journalist by sharing confidential documents to expose the wrongdoings of the US military. On the other hand, investigators say that Assange’s actions broke the laws made to protect the country’s sensitive information and endangered the country’s security. Assange will plead guilty and be sentenced on Wednesday morning local time. After this, he is likely to return to Australia.
Tags: America News
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 25, 2024, 11:30 IST