WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been freed from the United Kingdom and is set to return to his homeland, Australia, after pleading guilty to a single charge of breaching US espionage laws. Assange, aged 52, will admit to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defense documents, as detailed in a filing by the US District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands. Assange, who had been held in the UK’s high-security Belmarsh prison, was released on June 24, 2024. A video shared by WikiLeaks showed him boarding a plane in London, set to travel to the US Pacific territory of Saipan where he will appear in court. Assange is expected to be sentenced to 62 months, which aligns with the time he has already served. Following the court proceedings, he will return to Australia.
WikiLeaks announced Assange’s release in a statement on social media, expressing gratitude to supporters worldwide. “Julian Assange is free,” the statement read, highlighting the end of Assange’s 1901-day detention at Belmarsh. Assange’s wife, Stella, expressed immense gratitude to those who supported their cause, acknowledging the tireless efforts of activists and advocates.
Assange first gained global attention with the launch of WikiLeaks in 2006, an online platform for whistleblowers to submit classified material. The platform’s profile was significantly raised by the release of a video showing a US Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad, which resulted in the deaths of a dozen people, including two journalists. WikiLeaks further solidified its reputation in 2010 by publishing hundreds of thousands of classified US documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with a trove of diplomatic cables. The US, under former President Donald Trump, charged Assange in 2019 with 17 counts of breaching the Espionage Act. Prosecutors claimed that Assange conspired with former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who had leaked the documents to WikiLeaks. Manning’s sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama in 2017 after she had served seven years in prison.
The charges against Assange sparked widespread outrage, with supporters arguing that as a publisher, Assange should not face charges typically reserved for government employees who leak classified information. Press freedom advocates warned that prosecuting Assange could threaten free speech, setting a dangerous precedent for journalists worldwide.
“WikiLeaks published groundbreaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions,” the organization stated. “As editor-in-chief, Julian paid severely for these principles, and for the people’s right to know.”
Assange’s legal troubles began in 2010 when he was arrested in London on a Swedish warrant for sexual assault allegations. He sought refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he remained for seven years until UK police arrested him for breaching bail conditions. Meanwhile, the US pursued its extradition case.
The plea deal comes after increased pressure on US President Joe Biden to drop the case, including an official request from the Australian government. Australian officials argued that the prolonged legal battle served no purpose. While the Australian government has refrained from commenting until proceedings conclude, they have reiterated that the case had “dragged on for too long.”
Assange’s mother, Christine, expressed relief that her son’s ordeal was ending, attributing the outcome to “quiet diplomacy.” Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, also welcomed the news, emphasizing that Assange’s prosecution under the Espionage Act could have had severe implications for global journalism.
In Australia, legislators who championed Assange’s freedom expressed optimism about his return. Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce highlighted the significance of the outcome in preventing extraterritorial charges against Australians. Senator David Shoebridge of the Australian Greens emphasized that Assange should never have been charged, commending his role in exposing US war crimes. With Assange set to return home, his supporters celebrate a victory for press freedom and the principle of holding the powerful accountable.
