📷 Image Credits: The Times of India
Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, has been released after 14 years following intense diplomatic efforts led by Australian officials leveraging their ties with the U.S. and UK. Assange’s exposure of U.S. military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan initially led to his imprisonment, but Australian lobbying and a shift in political support eventually secured his freedom.
Australian lawmakers have cautiously welcomed developments that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U.S. Justice Department that will allow him to walk free and resolve a long-running legal saga that spanned multiple continents and centered on the publication of a trove of classified documents. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was nothing to be gained by keeping the Australian incarcerated.
Albanese’s government has been working tirelessly to secure Assange’s release since being elected in 2022. Public support for Assange has grown in Australia during the seven years he spent avoiding extradition to the United States. Albanese had been lobbying for the United States to end its prosecution of Assange, and his efforts proved successful with the plea deal that will see Assange return to Australia.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the advocacy of a range of lawmakers on Assange’s behalf, including a delegation that traveled to Washington last year with a letter signed by 60 Australian lawmakers calling for an end to the prosecution. The Australian government has been actively involved in negotiations for Assange’s release and has pushed for his return to Australia.
Assange’s release marks the end of a long legal battle that has seen him face extradition, seek asylum, and spend time in high-security prisons. His case has sparked global debates on press freedom and government transparency. The plea deal signifies a milestone in the complex journey of Julian Assange and reflects the power of diplomatic and legal negotiations in securing his freedom. Australia’s role in the process highlights the importance of international relations in resolving high-profile cases.
