"Australian Assange" sentenced to 6 years for reporting on crimes committed by the military in Afghanistan

Australia has sentenced former military lawyer David McBride, 60, to five years and eight months in prison for leaking documents showing Australian soldiers committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

Dubbed the country's "first whistleblower" and compared to Julian Assange, McBride leaked classified documents to reporters and revealed the killing of many unarmed men, children and civilians in Afghanistan by Australian special forces between 2005 and 2016.

"I may have broken the law, but I have not broken my oath to the Australian people and to the soldiers who keep us safe," McBride said before sentencing.