Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from the UK’s Belmarsh prison and is on his way back to Australia after agreeing to a plea deal with the United States. The deal involves Assange pleading guilty to one charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified United States national defence documents.
Assange, 52, boarded a plane in London on 24 June following his release from Belmarsh prison. According to a US District Court filing, he will appear in Saipan, a US Pacific territory, on Wednesday, where he will be sentenced to 62 months of time already served. WikiLeaks confirmed his release in a statement on X, stating, “Julian Assange is free.”
“I’m visiting Julian in a high-security prison, but this period of our lives, I’m confident now, has come to an end,” Stella Assange stated in a video on Monday. “By this time next week, Julian will be free.”
Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief, joined Stella in expressing optimism about Assange’s release. “I just came out of Belmarsh prison in what I hope is my last visit to see Julian here, where he has spent five years, two months, and two weeks,” he said. “If you’re seeing this, it means he is out.”
Hrafnsson highlighted the quick developments and challenges in planning the next steps, adding, “If everything goes well, Julian will be on a plane on the way to freedom.”
Assange rose to prominence in 2006 with the creation of WikiLeaks, a platform for whistleblowers to anonymously submit classified materials. WikiLeaks gained global attention with the release of a US Apache helicopter attack video in Baghdad and a large cache of classified US documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These publications led to Assange being charged with 17 counts of breaching the Espionage Act by the US in 2019.
Supporters of Assange, including press freedom advocates, have argued that charging him under the Espionage Act threatened free speech and journalistic practices. Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said, “If Julian had been extradited to the US and prosecuted under the Espionage Act, it would have had serious implications for journalists globally.”
A year ago on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2023, journalists Matthew Lee and Sam Husseini questioned State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel about Julian Assange’s status, amid his criticism of China and Russia for suppressing journalism:
Q: Is Julian Assange a journalist?
PATEL: He’s been charged with crimes.
Q: Yeah but anyone can be charged with anything. Is he a journalist or not?
PATEL: He’s been charged with crimes that endangered national security.
Q: By exposing US govt criminality?
The plea deal, seen by many as a compromise by the Biden administration under mounting pressure from Australia and other supporters, allows Assange to avoid the additional 18 charges that could have led to a 175-year prison sentence. Assange’s release and return to Australia have been welcomed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other legislators who campaigned for his freedom.
Julian Assange’s mother, Christine, expressed gratitude that her son’s ordeal is ending, highlighting the importance of “quiet diplomacy” in securing his release. As Assange heads home, WikiLeaks praised his contributions to holding the powerful accountable and thanked supporters for their unwavering commitment to his cause.
