WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is free! The founder has been released from Britain’s Belmarsh Prison after pleading guilty to illegally disseminating national security material in the United States and will be allowed to return to his native Australia.
So far, all the details we know about Julian Assange is free news!
Julian Assange is free: Is he going back to Australia?
NBC News reported that Assange’s guilty plea and release from prison in the UK was revealed in court documents filed Monday by the US federal government in the Northern Mariana Islands. However, the New York Times notes that the deal still needs to be approved by a judge.
Assange had spent the last five years in the high-security Belmarsh Prison in London. This follows a long and controversial period that began in 2012 when he sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy.
According to a statement on WikiLeaks‘ social media account, Assange left prison on the morning of June 24 and left the UK the same day. WikiLeaks also posted a video of Assange reading documents on the plane.
Assange’s return to Australia and the details of this process are not yet clear.
Here is WikiLeaks’ statement on its Facebook page:
JULIAN ASSANGE IS FREE
Julian Assange is free. He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of 24 June, after having spent 1901 days there. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK.
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. 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.
After more than five years in a 2×3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon reunite with his wife Stella Assange, and their children, who have only known their father from behind bars.
WikiLeaks published groundbreaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions. As editor-in-chief, Julian paid severely for these principles, and for the people’s right to know.
As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom.
Julian’s freedom is our freedom.
Who is Julian Assange?
Julian Assange is an Australian editor, publisher, and activist best known for founding WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks is an online platform that allows people to submit classified information and leak it anonymously.
Assange gained international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, which included footage of a US airstrike in Baghdad, military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and US diplomatic cables.
Assange has been controversial due to his involvement in publishing classified information. He has faced legal battles and accusations of espionage. In 2019, he was indicted in the US on charges related to violating the Espionage Act.
Recently, in June 2024, news broke that Assange agreed to plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act and resolve his outstanding legal matters with the U.S.
What did Julian Assange do?
Julian Assange has been charged with conspiracy to obtain sensitive information by breaking into military databases and faces 18 counts. His extradition to stand trial in the United States has been requested. Assange has fought these allegations in international courts for 14 years.
Julian Assange plea deal details
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has reached a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department that will allow him to be freed from prison and resolve his long-standing legal battle.
Key points of the plea deal:
- Charge: Assange is expected to plead guilty to one charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defense documents.
- Sentence: He is expected to be sentenced to time served, meaning he will not face additional prison time.
- Location: Assange will plead guilty in a U.S. federal court in the Northern Mariana Islands.
- Outcome: Assange is expected to return to his home country of Australia following the plea deal.
The plea deal marks the end of a long and controversial legal saga. Assange’s supporters see him as a champion of free speech and government transparency, while his critics accuse him of endangering national security. The case has raised important questions about balancing press freedom and national security.
Is Julian Assange free?
Yes, Julian Assange was released from prison in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2024, after pleading guilty to a single charge of breaching the espionage law in the United States.
When was WikiLeaks founded?
WikiLeaks, the international non-profit organization known for publishing news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources, was established in 2006. The domain name wikileaks.org was registered on October 4th, 2006, and the first document was published on the website in December of that year.
What did WikiLeaks leak?
The most notable leaks include:
- 2010 Afghan war diary: Over 91,000 classified military documents detailing the war in Afghanistan.
- 2010 Iraq war logs: Nearly 400,000 classified military documents related to the war in Iraq.
- 2010 Cablegate: Over 250,000 classified U.S. diplomatic cables revealing confidential communications between U.S. embassies and officials worldwide.
- 2011 Guantanamo Bay files: Over 700 classified files related to detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
These leaks exposed controversial actions and policies by the U.S. military and government, sparking worldwide debate and criticism. They also raised concerns about national security and the safety of individuals named in the documents.
Featured image credit: WikiLeaks Facebook Page
