Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder, has been freed from prison in the UK after he agreed to plead guilty to breaching the espionage law in the US.

Assange, who was accused of releasing classified national defence documents that embarrassed the US government, was arrested by the British police in 2019 at the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

He had been holed up at the embassy for years in a bid to evade arrest.

WikiLeaks announced the 52-year-old’s release in a statement on Tuesday.

The newspaper said its founder left Belmarsh maximum security prison on Monday morning after he was granted bail by the high court in London.

“This is the result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organisers, press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations,” the statement reads.

“This created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice, leading to a deal that has not yet been formally finalised. We will provide more information as soon as possible.”

US justice department prosecutors seek a 62-month sentence — the equivalent of the time Assange served in the UK as he battled extradition — under the terms of the agreement.

This means the plea deal would include time already served, allowing Assange to immediately return to Australia. However, a federal judge still has to approve this.

The deal also caps a long-running legal saga between the journalist and the US government.

Assange would still have to make a court appearance in a remote US territory in the Pacific.

Saudi Arabia authorities have said that more than 1,300 people died on this year’s Hajj pilgrimage – with “numerous cases” due to heat stress and “unauthorized” trips accounting for more than four out of five of the fatalities.

“The health system addressed numerous cases of heat stress this year, with some individuals still under care. Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301,” the Saudi government said in a statement as it released its first official figures.

The statement said 83% of those who died were “unauthorized to perform Hajj” and “walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort.” There were “several elderly and chronically ill individuals” among the deceased, it said, adding that the families of all the dead had now been identified.

Extreme heat has been named as a main factor behind the hundreds of deaths and injuries reported this year during the Hajj. Mecca, the holy city that is central for Hajj pilgrims, saw temperatures soar to a record-setting 125 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday. Various authorities have also said the problems have been compounded by the number of unofficial pilgrimages.

Saudi Arabia requires each pilgrim to acquire one of the 1.8 million available licenses to legally access Mecca. These licenses can cost several thousand US dollars. Unlicensed pilgrims typically don’t travel in organized tour buses with air conditioning or easy access to water and food supplies.

The Saudi government also appeared to suggest the unauthorized nature of many of the trips had been a factor in how long it had taken to issue an official death toll as this had complicated the identification process.

“Identification completed, despite the initial lack of personal information or identification documents. Proper processes were followed for identification, burial, and honoring the deceased, with death certificates provided,” the statement said.

Some pilgrims have lamented the poor infrastructure and organization of this year’s Hajj. Even pilgrims on official tours spend the bulk of their day walking outdoors in the scorching heat.

Some witnesses have told CNN of how they saw worshipers losing consciousness and walked past bodies covered in white cloth.

The announcement from Saudi Arabia comes as the Egyptian government vowed to revoke the licenses of 16 Hajj tourism companies involved in making illegal pilgrimages to Mecca and refer the company’s managers to the public prosecutor amid fears hundreds of Egyptians are among the dead.

Egypt’s decision was made in a cabinet meeting on Saturday after a report highlighted the dubious nature of how some tourism companies operate.

The official toll among Egyptians stands at 31, but it is being reported by Reuters news agency and other outlets that as many as 500 to 600 Egyptians died during the pilgrimage.

The report, which was reviewed by cabinet, said some operators had not issued correct visas, so holders could not enter the holy city of Mecca and were instead forced to enter “through desert paths on foot.” It also accused some companies of failing to provide proper accommodation, leaving tourists exposed to the heat.

In the meeting, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly offered his “sincere condolences and sympathy” to the families of the deceased pilgrims committing to providing them with the necessary support.

Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and Saudi Arabia requires each pilgrim to acquire one of the 1.8 million available licenses to legally access Mecca.

But as the cost of one of these licences costs several thousand US dollars, many pilgrims try to access the site illegally and typically don’t travel in organized tour buses with air conditioning or easy access to water and food supplies.

The timing of the Hajj is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar which this year has fallen during scorching temperatures in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims made this year’s journey in extreme temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Ahmed, a 44-year-old from Indonesia, said he saw many people falling ill and even dying from the heat.

“Along the way home, I saw many pilgrims who died. Almost every few hundred meters, there was a body lying and covered with an ihrom [white fabric] cloth.”

“Every time there is a distribution of water from local residents or certain groups, it is immediately overrun by the pilgrims,” he added, saying that he didn’t see health workers or a single ambulance along the road.

As part of the pilgrimage, the faithful perform a series of rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca, often involving many hours of walking in the scorching heat every day.

The exact death toll for the total number of deaths in this year’s Hajj may still rise, as governments are only aware of pilgrims who have registered and travelled to Mecca as part of their country’s quota.

Four members of the UK’s richest family have received prison sentences for exploiting staff brought over from India to work at their Geneva villa.

Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, as well as their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, were found guilty of exploitation and illegal employment by a Swiss court and handed sentences ranging from four to four-and-a-half years.

They were acquitted on the more serious charge of human trafficking.

Lawyers representing the defendants said they intend to appeal against the ruling.

Speaking outside the court, Robert Assael, the lawyer for the defendants, said: “I’m shocked. We’re going to fight it to the bitter end.”

Three workers who were brought over from their native India alleged the family paid them as little as £7 ($8) to work 18-hour days – less than a tenth of the amount required under Swiss law – and confiscated their passports.

They also claimed the family – whose fortune is estimated at around £37bn – rarely allowed them to leave the house, which is in Geneva’s wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged the family spent more on their dog than on their servants.

The defence argued that the employees received ample benefits, were not kept in isolation and were free to leave the villa.

The employees “were grateful to the Hindujas for offering them a better life”, Mr Assael argued.

The elder Hindujas, both over 70, did not attend court proceedings, pleading ill health. Ajay and Namrata did attend court but were not there to hear the verdict.

Following the verdict, the prosecution requested an immediate detention order for the younger Hinduja couple, but this was denied by the judge.

The defence said Kamal Hindula is currently in hospital in Monaco – and the other three family members are at his bedside.

It is not the first time that Geneva, a hub for international organisations as well as the world’s wealthy, has been in the spotlight over the alleged mistreatment of servants.

Last year, four domestic workers from the Philippines launched a case against one of Geneva’s diplomatic missions to the United Nations, claiming they had not been paid for years.

The Hinduja family own the Hinduja Group, a multinational group with interests in oil, gas, and banking.
The family also owns Raffles hotel in London.