Summary
Here are the key developments in the Julian Assange hearing today:
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Court has adjourned in Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony charge for publishing US military secrets. He was sentenced by Judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He has left the court a free man, and is on his way to his native Australia.
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The judge said, “It appears your 62 months … was fair and reasonable and proportionate to [Chelsea] Manning’s actual prison time.” WikiLeaks published classified documents obtained by Manning.
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The plea was part of a deal struck with the US justice department that was expected to secure his freedom. It ends the almost 14-year-long pursuit of the publisher by the US.
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The plea was entered Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific. Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London via Bangkok, arrived at court shortly before the hearing was to begin, wearing a dark suit with a tie loosened at the collar. He did not want to face a hearing on the US mainland, which, along with its proximity to Australia, is why Saipan was chosen for the hearing.
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Following the sentencing, the US Department of Justice released a lengthy statement saying that Assange would not be allowed back into the US. It said, “Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”
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Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.
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Assange departed from the court straight to the airport in Saipan, where he is expected to board a flight for Canberra, Australia.
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Assange was accompanied in the court Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and Australian high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. He was greeted by foreign and local media, but did not stop to speak to the gathered press despite the questions being shouted at him.
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Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, addressed the media after the sentencing, saying: “I hope that the fact that we have been able to free Julian Assange today against all of the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.”
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Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, addressed the media saying, “The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange. Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.”
Key events
OK, the details are still sparse about whether Assange himself will be addressing the media at 9:15 pm tonight.
I think it will be ‘watch and see’ – we will be here to blog it and we have Sarah Basford Canales, Sharlotte Thou and Mike Bowers on the ground to bring you updates and pictures.
The plane is now over mainland Australia and has under two hours until it lands.
Please forgive my poor-quality crop – but I wanted to share with you images from Jennifer Robinson’s Instagram.
Robinson is Assange’s lawyer, a friend of the PM, and has been dubbed ‘the A-list’s go-to lawyer’ in the UK, and advised Amber Heard (among a longer, more impressive list of other things).
She is currently on the plane with Assange, and posted these:
Good evening everyone – this is Cait, I am going to be with you on the blog – bringing you the news as Assange lands and (fingers crossed) addresses the media later this evening.
It’s going to be a big night! First up, I want to bring you some reactions from X (normally a bin fire, but there are some exceptions) – where news about Assange has been trending.
Assange’s brother everyone:
Australia should make this a public holiday – Julian Assange Day!
— Gabriel Shipton (@GabrielShipton) June 26, 2024
MP Spender:
I welcome the release of Julian Assange.
Whatever your view, this case dragged on too long. Journalism and publishing must not be criminalised.
Julian Assange has spent far too long in prison. His crime was publishing truthful information in the public interest.
— Allegra Spender (@spenderallegra) June 26, 2024
MP Steggall:
I welcome today’s release of Julian Assange. Whatever your view on his case, it’s dragged on too long & it’s good to see a resolution. Press freedoms & whistleblower protections play an important role in a strong democracy. It’s important we continue to champion these principles. pic.twitter.com/OClOV5d0UL
— 🌏 Zali Steggall MP (@zalisteggall) June 26, 2024
Natasha May
Thanks for reading, handing over to Cait Kelly who will be with you as we await Julian Assange touching down on home soil in Australia.
Stella Assange says her husband will owe over half a million US dollars to the Australian government for the chartered flight, as he was not allowed to fly on commercial airlines to Saipan and onward to Australia.
She took to X, formerly Twitter, to appeal for donations:
Julian’s travel to freedom comes at a massive cost: Julian will owe USD 520,000 which he is obligated to pay back to the Australian government for charter Flight VJ199.
He was not permitted to fly commercial airlines or routes to Saipan and onward to Australia.
She also shared her emotions on seeing her husband walk out of the court a free man:
If you want to read more about the extraordinary final chapter of Assange’s legal battle, our correspondent Helen Davidson tells you what it was like this morning inside the wood-panelled courthouse at the foot of a lush hillside on the Saipan coast:
Emily Wind
Many thanks for being with me on the blog today. There’s still plenty to come, and Natasha May will be here to guide you through our rolling coverage.
Checking in with Julian Assange’s flight to Australia – the WikiLeaks founder is set to land in Canberra about 7.40pm local time, in just over four hours.
As we flagged earlier, WikiLeaks will be giving a press conference in Canberra at 9.15pm local time.
In case you missed it, here is a video of the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, addressing the parliament about Julian Assange just earlier:
Assange is ‘no hero’, opposition says
Australia’s opposition spokesman for home affairs, James Paterson, says WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be worshipped following today’s outcome. He told Sky News:
Julian Assange is no hero, but it is a welcome thing that this has finally come to an end.
The reason why it’s gone on for a long time is that he was evading lawful extradition requests. It is a credit to the United States that they are showing such leniency towards someone accused of such a serious crime.
This follows similar comments from his opposition colleague Jane Hume, who said Assange was “no hero” of hers but that she welcomed his return:
We’re very pleased to see him returned to Australia, but I don’t think that hero-worship is an appropriate response.
– with AAP
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
