Julian Assange lands in Australia ending diplomatic saga
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The news: Julian Assange landed in Australia following a plea deal in a US court, ending his 14-year legal battle over the release of hundreds of thousands of classified US military documents in 2010.
The numbers: The WikiLeaks founder arrived in Canberra from Saipan at 7:30pm on Wednesday night, where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obtain and disseminate classified US defence information.
His 62-month time-served sentence credits his five years in a UK prison, allowing him to avoid further jail time in the US. The plea deal was reached in Saipan due to Assange’s preference to avoid the continental US.
The context: Assange was greeted by family, supporters, and the media. Upon landing, he kissed his wife, Stella and waved to supporters who were cheering from a distance. He was accompanied by Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd and High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, both of whom played key roles in negotiating his freedom with Washington and London.
What they said: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed him via a pre-arranged phone call. In a press conference shortly afterwards, Albanese told reporters he was “pleased that this matter is over.” He said he had “a very warm discussion with him this evening. He was very generous in his praise of the Australian government’s efforts.”
In a post on X, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham said Albanese’s call with Assange had not been appropriate. "This call is neither necessary nor appropriate. Julian Assange was not wrongfully detained like Cheng Lei, Sean Turnell or Kylie Moore-Gilbert," the post said. "For 12 years Assange chose to avoid facing justice in countries with fair judicial systems. He is underserving [sic] of this treatment."
Assange's father, John Shipton, praised the Australian public and officials for their role in securing his son's return. As part of the plea deal, Assange is barred from entering the US, with campaigners now seeking a presidential pardon.
The sources: Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Associated Press
