Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty in a Saipan court

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty to one felony count of violating U.S. espionage law in a U.S. federal court on June 26 in Saipan, the capital of the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands.

Previously reported:

Assange arrives in Saipan, USA

The reporter learned that at about 19 o'clock Eastern time on the 25th, the hearing of Assange, the founder of "WikiLeaks", in the Saipan court has begun. Assange is expected to plead guilty and will be released to return to Australia.

On June 26, local time, Assange arrived at the local court in Saipan by car to prepare to appear in court. (CCTV news client report with picture)

U.S. media cited a legal document on the 24th that Assange, the founder of the "WikiLeaks" website, agreed to plead guilty. After pleading guilty, Assange does not need to travel to the United States to serve his sentence. According to a U.S. federal court document disclosed by U.S. media on the 24th, Assange agreed to plead guilty to a felony charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with violating the U.S. Espionage Act on charges of "conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information." Under the plea agreement reached by both parties, the US Justice Department will seek to sentence Assange to 62 months in prison, which is equal to the sentence Assange has completed in London. The U.S. Department of Justice will recognize Assange having completed his sentence, waive his previous extradition request, and allow him to return to his country of origin, Australia. Assange is required to appear and plead a felony plea in a U.S. federal court, and his plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice must be approved by a judge in that court. Because Assange refused to set foot on the United States, the US Department of Justice approved him to appear in federal court on Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the court date was set for the 26th. Upon completion of the procedure, Assange will fly back to Australia.

Source: CCTV News Review: Chen Zhaolong Editor: Li Xiang Proofreader: Zhang Jianping