WikiLeaks, founded by Julian Assange, published hundreds of thousands of classified US documents in 2010 and 2011. Assange spent nearly seven years in Ecuador's London embassy and five years in a British prison while Sweden investigated sexual offence allegations and the United States sought his extradition on 18 counts. He pleaded guilty to one Espionage Act conspiracy count in June 2024 and returned to Australia.
Assange pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information and was sentenced to time served on 26 June 2024, which ended the UK extradition proceedings. Under the plea agreement the United States agreed to move to dismiss the Virginia indictment. He returned to Australia, and no further court proceedings were found as of 1 November 2026.
In 2010 and 2011 WikiLeaks published material obtained from Chelsea Manning, the High Court said. The Justice Department said this included about 75,000 Afghanistan war reports, 400,000 Iraq war reports, 800 Guantanamo detainee assessments and more than 100,000 State Department cables, and that Manning downloaded the material between January and May 2010.
WikiLeaks released video of a US helicopter air strike in Baghdad, Sky News and CNN reported.
WikiLeaks released more than 90,000 documents on the war in Afghanistan, according to Sky News and CNN.
Swedish prosecutors investigated Assange over a suspected rape in August 2010 and other allegations, according to the Swedish Prosecution Authority. The authority described it as a preliminary investigation.
A Swedish prosecutor issued a European Arrest Warrant for Assange on 2 December 2010, according to the High Court's 2024 judgment. He was arrested in London under it on 7 December 2010.
Assange's extradition to Sweden was ordered on 24 February 2011, according to the High Court's 2024 judgment.
The High Court handed down judgment in Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority. The UK Supreme Court later recorded that he had challenged the warrant on appeal to the Divisional Court without success.
The UK Supreme Court dismissed Assange's appeal, holding that the Swedish prosecutor was a judicial authority that could issue a European Arrest Warrant.
Assange entered Ecuador's embassy in London on 19 June 2012, according to the High Court, after failing to surrender to the court as his bail required.
Ecuador granted Assange asylum, Sky News and CNN reported.
The prosecutor then in charge discontinued the investigation in 2017, saying all possibilities to make progress had been exhausted, according to the Swedish Prosecution Authority. The BBC, Sky News and CNN dated the decision 19 May 2017.
A federal magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Virginia issued a criminal complaint against Assange, according to the High Court.
A federal grand jury in Virginia returned an indictment charging Assange with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, according to the High Court. The Justice Department announced the charge in April 2019.
Assange left the embassy and was arrested on 11 April 2019, according to the High Court. AP reported that Ecuador had revoked his asylum. The Justice Department unsealed the computer intrusion charge, which carried a maximum of five years.
Judge Deborah Taylor at Southwark Crown Court sentenced Assange to 50 weeks in prison for skipping bail in 2012, AP reported.
Associated Press (via ABC7)Swedish prosecutors resumed the preliminary investigation into the suspected 2010 rape at the request of the injured party's counsel, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said.
A federal grand jury returned an 18 count superseding indictment alleging that Assange conspired with Manning to obtain and disclose classified information, and that publishing unredacted documents put human sources at risk. Each count carried a maximum of 10 years except the computer intrusion count.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson discontinued the investigation, saying the evidence had weakened over time.
A second superseding indictment added no counts but broadened the computer intrusion conspiracy allegations, the Justice Department said.
The extradition hearing before District Judge Baraitser, which had opened in February, resumed on 7 September and ran to 1 October 2020, according to the High Court.
District Judge Baraitser discharged Assange, finding that his mental condition and a substantial risk of suicide made extradition oppressive under section 91 of the Extradition Act 2003. The United States appealed.
The United States gave assurances that Assange would not be held under special administrative measures or at the ADX Florence prison, would receive recommended treatment, and could be transferred to Australia to serve any sentence, according to the High Court.
Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Holroyde allowed the US appeal on the basis of the assurances, quashed the discharge and sent the case back to Westminster Magistrates' Court.
The Supreme Court refused Assange permission to appeal, saying the case did not raise an arguable point of law, AP reported.
Associated Press (via News4Jax)The Home Secretary ordered Assange's extradition to the United States, according to the High Court. Sky News reported that Priti Patel signed the order.
Mr Justice Swift refused Assange permission to appeal on the papers, the High Court recorded. Assange renewed the application.
Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson heard Assange's renewed application for permission to appeal on 20 and 21 February 2024.
The court said it would grant permission on three grounds unless the United States gave satisfactory assurances that Assange could rely on the First Amendment, would not be prejudiced by his nationality and would not face the death penalty.
The respondents filed an assurance with the court on 16 April 2024, and the court listed a hearing for 20 May, according to its order.
Courts and Tribunals JudiciaryDame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson ruled that Assange had grounds to challenge the extradition order, AP reported. His lawyer had argued that no adequate assurance had been given.
Assange left Belmarsh prison on 24 June and flew out of the UK from Stansted Airport, WikiLeaks said, according to AFP. The PA news agency reported that a bail hearing had been held in private on 20 June. The Justice Department had reached a plea agreement with him.
In the US District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, Assange pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information. Chief Judge Ramona Manglona sentenced him to the 62 months he had spent in custody in the UK. Under the plea agreement he agreed to leave the United States promptly, and the United States agreed to move to dismiss the Virginia indictment.
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NPR (via Connecticut Public)Assange landed at Canberra airport on the evening of 26 June and was greeted by his wife, Reuters reported. PA also reported his arrival.
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