Julian Assange Released Under Plea Deal, No Extradition to US
General News
Tuesday 25th, June 2024
Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks, will not be extradited to the United States after reaching a plea deal with US authorities. In exchange for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, Assange will be sentenced to time served, the 62 months he has already spent in a British prison. This development is outlined in court documents and marks a significant turn in a long standing legal battle.
Assange has been embroiled in legal proceedings for over a decade. The US prosecutors alleged that Assange endangered lives by aiding former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing diplomatic cables and military files, which WikiLeaks subsequently published online in 2010. Since his arrest, Assange has been fighting extradition to the US from the UK.
In May 2019, Assange was detained in Belmarsh Prison, where he has spent the past five years. His incarceration followed a seven year asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, which began in 2012.
Assange's plea and sentencing are scheduled for Wednesday morning local time (Tuesday evening UK time) in Saipan, one of the Northern Mariana Islands. This location was chosen due to Assange's reluctance to travel to any of the 50 US states and because of the court's relative proximity to Australia.
Upon his release from Belmarsh, Assange was granted bail by the High Court and promptly left the UK, boarding a plane from Stansted Airport. WikiLeaks confirmed his departure, stating that Assange left Belmarsh on Monday morning. By the afternoon, he was at Stansted Airport, where he boarded a plane to leave the UK.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), WikiLeaks shared, "After more than five years in a 2x3 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".
Stella Assange also took to social media to share her joy, posting a video montage of her husband in a car and then boarding a plane. She wrote, "Julian is free!!!! Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU – yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.".
She additionally shared an image of her husband video calling her from Stansted airport on Monday.
Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, told Sky News that the WikiLeaks founder is "overwhelmed to be out of prison". He continued, "He's been on a plane for a very long time now... I've been speaking to him this week and just going through all the details with him. He's been very anxious, very excited, and he's looking forward to spending time with his family and being free, being able to have the sun shining on his face, see the birds, go for a swim in the ocean back in Australia. He's very much looking forward to that".
Craig Murray, a friend of Assange, expressed his delight, calling the news "absolutely wonderful". He noted, "The whole family is totally elated that we have finally got an end to this terrible saga". Murray acknowledged the toll the ordeal has taken on Assange, stating, "We are lucky that he is a very resilient man and he will recover and we will get our Julian fully back".
Assange's legal battle has been long and complex. In January 2021, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against his extradition to the US, citing a real and "oppressive" risk of suicide, though she ruled against him on other issues. Later that year, US authorities succeeded in overturning this decision, paving the way for Assange's extradition.
In June 2022, the UK government approved Assange's extradition to the US, with then Home Secretary Priti Patel signing the extradition order. However, Assange continued to fight this decision, making one final attempt in February 2023 to avoid extradition under UK law.
In March, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson dismissed most of Assange's legal arguments but noted that he could appeal on three grounds if the US provided certain assurances. These assurances included protection under the First Amendment, which safeguards freedom of speech in the US, assurance that Assange would not be prejudiced at trial due to his nationality, and that the death penalty would not be imposed.
Three months later, in May, two High Court judges ruled that Assange could appeal against being extradited, confirming that he would not face the death penalty and could rely on the First Amendment if he were tried for espionage.
The Australian government has maintained a supportive stance towards Assange. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, "Prime Minister Albanese has been clear – Mr Assange's case has dragged on for too long and there is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration".
With the plea deal in place and his impending return to Australia, Julian Assange's long drawn legal battle appears to be nearing an end. His release from Belmarsh Prison and the dropping of the US extradition demand mark a significant chapter in the saga of one of the most controversial figures in contemporary journalism and activism.
Assange has been embroiled in legal proceedings for over a decade. The US prosecutors alleged that Assange endangered lives by aiding former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing diplomatic cables and military files, which WikiLeaks subsequently published online in 2010. Since his arrest, Assange has been fighting extradition to the US from the UK.
In May 2019, Assange was detained in Belmarsh Prison, where he has spent the past five years. His incarceration followed a seven year asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, which began in 2012.
Assange's plea and sentencing are scheduled for Wednesday morning local time (Tuesday evening UK time) in Saipan, one of the Northern Mariana Islands. This location was chosen due to Assange's reluctance to travel to any of the 50 US states and because of the court's relative proximity to Australia.
Upon his release from Belmarsh, Assange was granted bail by the High Court and promptly left the UK, boarding a plane from Stansted Airport. WikiLeaks confirmed his departure, stating that Assange left Belmarsh on Monday morning. By the afternoon, he was at Stansted Airport, where he boarded a plane to leave the UK.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), WikiLeaks shared, "After more than five years in a 2x3 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".
Stella Assange also took to social media to share her joy, posting a video montage of her husband in a car and then boarding a plane. She wrote, "Julian is free!!!! Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU – yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.".
She additionally shared an image of her husband video calling her from Stansted airport on Monday.
Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, told Sky News that the WikiLeaks founder is "overwhelmed to be out of prison". He continued, "He's been on a plane for a very long time now... I've been speaking to him this week and just going through all the details with him. He's been very anxious, very excited, and he's looking forward to spending time with his family and being free, being able to have the sun shining on his face, see the birds, go for a swim in the ocean back in Australia. He's very much looking forward to that".
Craig Murray, a friend of Assange, expressed his delight, calling the news "absolutely wonderful". He noted, "The whole family is totally elated that we have finally got an end to this terrible saga". Murray acknowledged the toll the ordeal has taken on Assange, stating, "We are lucky that he is a very resilient man and he will recover and we will get our Julian fully back".
Assange's legal battle has been long and complex. In January 2021, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against his extradition to the US, citing a real and "oppressive" risk of suicide, though she ruled against him on other issues. Later that year, US authorities succeeded in overturning this decision, paving the way for Assange's extradition.
In June 2022, the UK government approved Assange's extradition to the US, with then Home Secretary Priti Patel signing the extradition order. However, Assange continued to fight this decision, making one final attempt in February 2023 to avoid extradition under UK law.
In March, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson dismissed most of Assange's legal arguments but noted that he could appeal on three grounds if the US provided certain assurances. These assurances included protection under the First Amendment, which safeguards freedom of speech in the US, assurance that Assange would not be prejudiced at trial due to his nationality, and that the death penalty would not be imposed.
Three months later, in May, two High Court judges ruled that Assange could appeal against being extradited, confirming that he would not face the death penalty and could rely on the First Amendment if he were tried for espionage.
The Australian government has maintained a supportive stance towards Assange. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, "Prime Minister Albanese has been clear – Mr Assange's case has dragged on for too long and there is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration".
With the plea deal in place and his impending return to Australia, Julian Assange's long drawn legal battle appears to be nearing an end. His release from Belmarsh Prison and the dropping of the US extradition demand mark a significant chapter in the saga of one of the most controversial figures in contemporary journalism and activism.
