Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from Belmarsh maximum security prison in the UK after spending 1,901 days in isolation. The London High Court granted him bail, and he subsequently left the UK, heading to Stansted Airport to reunite with his family. WikiLeaks attributed his release to a global campaign involving press freedom advocates, legislators, and leaders from various political spectrums, as well as the United Nations.
Assange's release is part of a deal with the US Department of Justice, although the details are not yet fully disclosed. He is scheduled for trial in the US, where he will plead guilty to conspiracy to obtain and distribute classified information. The Australian authorities confirmed that Assange would return to Australia after the trial, having already served a sentence equivalent to 62 months in a London prison.
WikiLeaks highlighted Assange's contributions to exposing government corruption and human rights violations, including the publication of approximately 100,000 secret documents about the Afghanistan war and tens of thousands of documents about the Iraq war. These revelations included information about the execution of civilians, leading to multiple charges against Assange by the US.
The release of Assange has sparked varied reactions globally. US presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. criticized the situation, stating that it criminalizes journalism. Conversely, US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Green and journalist Tucker Carlson welcomed the news. Organizations like Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists hailed it as a victory for journalism and press freedom.
Former British diplomat Craig Murray and former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa criticized the plea deal, suggesting it was made under duress and undermined freedom of the press. They argued that the real criminals were those who committed the war crimes Assange exposed.
Experts believe that the timing of Assange's release may be linked to US President Joe Biden's election campaign. They suggest that the release could be part of a larger strategy to de-escalate tensions and improve Biden's standing with left-wing voters. However, it is likely that Assange will face restrictions on his activities as part of the plea deal, including a ban on publishing new secret documents.
The situation has broader implications for press freedom, with concerns that journalism is being increasingly criminalized. Assange's case exemplifies the risks faced by journalists who expose government secrets, and it raises questions about the balance between national security and the public's right to information.
- On April 11, 2019, Julian Assange was forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he had sought refuge for seven years. The Ecuadorian government, under President Lenin Moreno, revoked his asylum status, accusing Assange of various misconducts, including smearing excrement on the embassy walls and attacking guards.
- Moreno also accused WikiLeaks of hacking his and his wife's phones and publishing private photos of his family. This marked a significant shift in Assange's situation, as he had believed himself to be protected by international conventions guaranteeing the inviolability of embassies. The revocation of his asylum led to his subsequent arrest by British authorities.
