(Reuters) – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is due to plead guilty on Wednesday to violating U.S. espionage law, in a deal that will set him free after a 14-year British legal odyssey and allow him to return home to Australia.
Here are some reactions to the news:
STELLA ASSANGE, ASSANGE’S WIFE
“I feel elated… I also feel worried … Until it’s fully signed off, I worry, but it looks like we’ve got there…We will be seeking a pardon, obviously, but the fact that there is a guilty plea, under the Espionage Act, in relation to obtaining and disclosing national defence information is obviously a very serious concern for journalists.”
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE
“Regardless of the views that people have about Mr. Assange (and) his activities, the case has dragged on for too long. There is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration and we want him brought home to Australia.”
JODIE GINSBERG, COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS CEO
“Julian Assange faced a prosecution that had grave implications for journalists and press freedom worldwide. While we welcome the end of his detention, the U.S.’s pursuit of Assange has set a harmful legal precedent by opening the way for journalists to be tried under the Espionage Act if they receive classified material from whistleblowers. This should never have been the case.”
GABRIEL SHIPTON, ASSANGE’S BROTHER
“Millions of people who have been advocating for Julian… it is almost time for them to have a drink and a celebration.”
