Wikileaks
Assange spoke Tuesday about the impact of his detention and conviction in his first public remarks since being released after five years in Belmarsh Prison.
He pleaded guilty to a single felony charge for publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors that secures his freedom.
The long-running legal saga spanned multiple continents and centered on the publication of a trove of classified documents.
His supporters cheered and applauded outside court as news of the ruling reached them from inside the Royal Courts of Justice.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
A British court says Julian Assange can’t immediately be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges, in a partial victory for the WikiLeaks founder.
“We will likely never know the full extent of the damage, but I have no doubt it was massive,” Judge Jesse M. Furman said as he announced the sentence.
The decision is a big moment in the WikiLeaks founder's years-long battle to avoid facing trial in the U.S. — though not necessarily the end of the tale.
A British judge has formally approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges.
Britain’s High Court overturned a lower court ruling that found Assange's mental health was too fragile to withstand the American justice system.
The WikiLeaks founder earlier this week avoided being extradited to the U.S. where he is wanted on charges of violating the Espionage Act.