Australia (Washington Insider Magazine) – Julian Assange, the Australian founder of WikiLeaks, arrived in Canberra to a chilly evening welcome, stepping off a chartered plane and pausing to take in the moment. With a raised fist and a wave to his supporters, Assange walked across the tarmac to embrace his wife, marking his first time on Australian soil in over a decade. His return was met with joy and relief by Australians and politicians across party lines who celebrated his long-awaited release.
Celebrations in Sydney
According to Washingtonpost, a small crowd had gathered outside the US consulate in Sydney to celebrate Assange’s freedom. They toasted with champagne and held signs with his picture on them. Assange was released after pleading guilty to violating the Espionage Act in a single US trial and being sentenced to prison. This decision came after two years of diplomatic efforts by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had persistently urged President Biden to release Assange
Diplomatic Efforts Bear Fruit
Prime Minister Albanese highlighted the prolonged efforts leading to Assange’s release. “This is not something that has happened in the last 24 hours. This has been considered and worked through patiently and in a calibrated way,” Albanese stated. He emphasized that regardless of opinions on Assange’s activities, his continued incarceration was unnecessary and that it was time to bring him home.
Mixed Reactions from Critics
Even some of Assange’s staunchest critics expressed relief after the international saga. Opposition Senator James Paterson remarked, “Assange is no hero, but it is a welcome thing that this has finally come to an end.”
Press Freedom Concerns
Despite the celebrations, questions remain about the ramifications of Assange’s plea deal for press freedom. The agreement was reached during a brief stop at the Northern Mariana Islands, a United States possession. Assange, claiming to be a journalist, maintained that the First Amendment protected his release of classified US government information and that the right to free speech should take precedence over the Espionage Act.
Assange’s Defense
In court, Assange drew a parallel to the hypothetical scenario of a US citizen being extradited for conduct not considered a crime in their home country. “Imagine if someone from the United States who did something that wasn’t a crime in the United States happened to be in England and the next thing you know is being sent to Australia to serve 175 years in jail,” according to him. He suggested that such a circumstance would elicit a strong response from the United States.
Assange’s return and the terms of his plea deal continue to spark debate about the balance between national security and press freedom.