Series of events relating to legal proceedings by the United Kingdom, Sweden and United States of America against Julian Assange
Assange's 2019 arrest and subsequent US extradition proceedings raised global debate over press freedom, espionage law, and the prosecution of publishers.
Key Facts
- Asylum revoked
- 11 April 2019, after 7 years in Ecuadorian Embassy
- Bail Act sentence
- 50 weeks in prison, convicted 1 May 2019
- US federal charges
- 18 charges total, including 17 espionage counts
- Second US indictment
- Filed 25 June 2020, alleging hacker recruitment since 2009
- Case resolution
- Plea deal reached June 2024; Assange released on time served
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Having sought asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden and potentially the United States, Assange's position became untenable when Ecuador revoked his asylum status in April 2019, following years of diplomatic tension and changed political leadership in Ecuador.
On 11 April 2019, Metropolitan Police entered the Ecuadorian Embassy and arrested Assange. He was convicted of breaching the Bail Act on 1 May 2019 and sentenced to fifty weeks in prison. The United States simultaneously unsealed an 18-count indictment against him, including charges under the Espionage Act related to his work with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks.
Assange remained in Belmarsh Prison while US extradition proceedings continued for years, drawing condemnation from press freedom organisations and debate over whether publishing leaked government documents constitutes journalism or espionage. The case concluded in June 2024 when Assange pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy charge under a plea deal and was released on time served.