Earlier, WikiLeaks said that Assange had been released from prison in the United Kingdom and was flying to Australia. Court documents revealed that Assange was expected to plead guilty to US espionage charges as part of a plea deal with federal prosecutors.
“The case against Julian Assange brought to light the importance of protecting free speech and free press and the consequences of restricting them," the statement said. "Assange had been unjustly imprisoned for daring to expose government misconduct and the true nature of the United States military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and for releasing emails showing the Democratic National Committee colluded with Hillary Clinton."
Gosar's office added that although Assange will be free, he spent five unnecessary years in prison in the United Kingdom.
The US Justice Department expects Assange's guilty plea and sentencing to happen on Wednesday morning at a federal court in the Northern Mariana Islands, according to a court document provided to Sputnik.
Assange is expected to return to Australia at the conclusion of the proceedings, the Justice Department noted.
Assange, an Australian citizen, was transferred to London’s high-security Belmarsh prison in April 2019 on bail breach charges. In the US, he faced prosecution under the Espionage Act for obtaining and disclosing classified information that shed light on war crimes and human rights violations committed by US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.