KEY FACTS
- Julian Assange has returned to his home country Australia
- A deal signed with the US saw Assange plead guilty to one count of espionage for his role in leaking sensitive documents about the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
- Assange was flown to the Northern Mariana Islands to enter his guilty plea before heading home
- He had been in the UK for years fighting extradition to the US
- He remains a deeply polarising figure in Australia
The Julian Assange Saga is finally over
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange finally won his freedom earlier in the week, ending a more than-decade legal battle.
US prosecutors secured a deal with Assange which saw him plead guilty to one count of espionage for his role in leaked sensitive documents concerning the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The deal ended Assange’s efforts to avoid extradition from the UK to the US, and instead see him return to his homeland Australia.
“Julian Assange is free,” WikiLeaks wrote in a statement posted to X. “He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of 24 June, after having spent 1901 days there.”
Before touching down in Australia, Assange was flown to the Northern Mariana Islands where he entered his guilty plea in Sapian, the island territory’s capital, having refused to travel to the continental US.
He is now back home in Australia. But he received no hero’s welcome.
JULIAN ASSANGE IS FREE
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 24, 2024
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…
‘Julian Assange freedom: Back in Australia for first time in 14 years’
When Julian Assange stepped onto Australian soil for the first time in 14 years, he was greeted with an embrace from his wife and a triumphant fist in the air. A small group of supporters cheered as he left the air base, but the atmosphere was far from celebratory.
Behind the scenes, the Australian government had made significant efforts to secure the WikiLeaks founder’s return. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, now the country’s ambassador to the US, and Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, were present for Assange’s return.
“I am very pleased that this saga is over”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Just minutes after his plane landed, the current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, giving him a subdued welcome back.
“I am very pleased that this saga is over, and earlier tonight, I was pleased to speak with Mr Assange to welcome him home,” he said.
This marked a stark contrast to 2010 when Assange first faced serious legal troubles. After releasing thousands of unredacted US documents on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, including footage of a US helicopter firing on civilians, Assange embarrassed Washington and allegedly endangered informants.
Swedish authorities soon pursued him over sexual assault allegations, which Assange claimed were politically motivated.
Back then, there was little sympathy from the Australian government. Prime Minister Julia Gillard had harshly criticised Assange, saying that WikiLeaks’ actions involved illegal activity and gross irresponsibility. Her administration even cooperated with US authorities and explored whether Assange had violated Australian laws.
For nearly a decade, little changed publicly. Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition, staying there until 2019. He was then arrested and imprisoned as he fought against extradition to the US.
Support for Assange’s release grew in Australia as his legal battles and declining health drew attention. However, significant political backing remained elusive.
- Julian Assange: Lawyers describe US prosecution as state retaliation
- Julian Assange ‘had a stroke in prison due to stress from his case’
- UK judge refuses US request to extradite Assange on suicide risk
‘A window of opportunity’
The election of Labour Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 2022 marked a potential turning point for Julian Assange. With Swedish prosecutors dropping the rape investigation and documentaries portraying Assange as a crusader for truth while highlighting his declining health, public sentiment began to shift.
As national sentiment moved from animosity to pity, a poll showed that 71% of Australians believed the US and UK should close Assange’s case. Prime Minister Albanese, although not fully endorsing Assange’s actions, expressed a desire to end the prolonged saga. He reiterated his stance post-election, emphasising the need for discreet diplomacy.
Political scientist Simon Jackman noted that the concurrent Labor government in Australia and the Democratic administration in the US presented a “window of opportunity.” This urgency was heightened by the approaching US elections. During a state visit to the US, Albanese directly addressed Assange’s situation with President Biden, and in February, the Australian parliament, with significant support, urged the US and UK to allow Assange’s return.
The prolonged case had become a “troublesome” issue for the US Department of Justice and created friction in US-UK relations. Larry Pfeiffer, former CIA chief of staff, acknowledged that quiet diplomacy from Australia played a crucial role in pushing the deal through, despite the US viewing Assange’s actions as largely self-inflicted.
‘Assange remains a polarising figure’
Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, remarked that public perception had shifted, portraying him as a victim. However, Assange remains a polarising figure in Australia.
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer criticised Assange’s actions as criminal and dangerous, while Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson defended him as a truth-teller exposing war crimes. Others, like MP Barnaby Joyce, condemned Assange’s actions but highlighted his harsh treatment and the concerning extraterritorial nature of the case.
Prime Minister Albanese walked a fine line, acknowledging the varied opinions on Assange’s activities but stressing the need to conclude the prolonged ordeal.
Now, with Assange back in Australia, the long and tumultuous saga has reached a new chapter, marked by quiet diplomacy rather than public celebration.