WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been freed after spending 14 years embroiled in a long legal battle. The controversial activist has formalized a deal in the Northern Mariana Islands, a North American territory, where he pleaded guilty to espionage in exchange for being able to return to his native country, Australia. Following his official release, Assange stood briefly before television cameras waiting for him outside the federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. He greeted reporters before getting into a vehicle without making a statement.
The agreement that allows him to return to Australia
Inside court, Assange pleaded guilty to a single criminal charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified United States documents. In exchange, Judge Ramona Villagomez Manglona handed down a sentence that allows him to return to Australia as a free man. The judge commented that she hopes that this decision will contribute to restoring a little peace in Assange’s life. Additionally, she wished him a happy birthday in advance, as he will turn 53 on July 3.
The role of the Saipan judge
The judge accepted the terms of the agreement between the Department of Justice and Assange’s defense. She sentenced the activist to 62 months in prison, but gave him credit for time he had already served at the high-security Belmarsh prison in the United Kingdom. This decision marks the official end of her imprisonment.
The end of a long judicial saga
This event puts an end to a judicial saga that has lasted 14 years. It all started in 2010 with the massive leak of classified United States documents by WikiLeaks. This leak revealed attacks on civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the mistreatment of prisoners in Guantánamo, among other issues. After the leak, Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange on sexual abuse charges, which were later dropped. Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012, until he was arrested by British authorities in 2019. He has spent the last five years in a high-security prison. Finally, he has headed to Australia, where he plans to hold a press conference and meet with his wife, Stella, and her two children.
Reactions to Assange’s release
Baltasar Garzón, Assange’s defense coordinator, has highlighted that although the torture for the activist has ended, the agreement is not what they would have wanted. Garzón has expressed his desire to prevent similar situations from occurring again in the future.