WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange insists his release from years of incarceration was not a vindication of the system but the result of pleading guilty to the practice of journalism. In his first public remarks since his release, Assange condemned his detention and denounced the alleged abuses he faced during his confinement.
In his first public address since his release from prison in June, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has declared that his freedom was not a triumph of justice but rather the consequence of "pleading guilty to journalism."
Speaking to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, Assange detailed the impact of his years-long detention, labeling his treatment a "shameful stain" on the First Amendment.
Julian Assange Declares Freedom After 'Pleading Guilty to Journalism'
Accompanied by his wife, Stella, and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief, Kristinn Hrafnsson, Assange was greeted by a group of supporters holding a banner that read "Thank you, Julian." As he emerged from a van, he smiled and raised his fist in defiance.
"I am not free today because the system worked," Assange asserted. "I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism."
Julian Assange Declares Freedom After 'Pleading Guilty to Journalism'
He elaborated on his guilty pleas, stating that he was found culpable for seeking information from a source, obtaining information from a source, and informing the public about that information.
Assange's release in June culminated a lengthy legal saga that began with his arrest in 2019. He was extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States in 2023 to face charges under the Espionage Act for allegedly conspiring to obtain and disseminate classified national defense information.
Prior to his extradition, Assange spent seven years in self-imposed exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he claimed asylum on the grounds of political persecution. He subsequently spent five years in a British prison while fighting extradition.
Assange pleaded guilty to a single charge under the Espionage Act and was sentenced to the five years he had already served. He returned to Australia as a free man in late June.
In his address to the European parliamentarians, Assange described his transition from maximum security confinement to public speaking as a "profound and surreal shift." He spoke candidly about the psychological toll of his isolation in a small cell, which he said stripped away his sense of self.
"It strips away one's sense of self, leaving only the raw essence of existence," he said, his voice cracking as he apologized for his "faltering words" and "unpolished presentation."
"I’m not yet fully equipped to speak about what I have endured — the relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally," Assange added.
Assange's role in publishing hundreds of thousands of war logs and diplomatic cables that revealed details of U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan has been both celebrated and criticized. Press freedom advocates hailed his efforts to bring to light information that might have otherwise remained concealed.
However, critics argued that his actions put American national security and innocent lives at risk, particularly those who provided information to U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly recently published a report on Assange's detention, concluding that he qualified as a political prisoner and expressing deep concern about his harsh treatment. The assembly's human rights committee issued a draft resolution calling for his release and for investigations into the alleged abuses he faced.
Assange's appearance before the Council of Europe comes as he continues to face legal challenges. He is still under indictment in the United States on 17 charges under the Espionage Act, which carry potential life sentences.
