Julian Assange Speaks Publicly After Release, Says He Is 'Free for Pleading Guilty to Journalism'

 

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made his first public statement since his release from prison, declaring that his freedom resulted from pleading “guilty to journalism.” The 53-year-old Australian journalist spoke before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday, addressing his detention, conviction, and the broader impact on human rights.

“I want to be absolutely clear: I am not free because the system worked. I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism,” Assange told the assembly. He explained that his only crime was seeking and publishing information in the public interest, saying, “I pled guilty to seeking information from a source, I pled guilty to obtaining information from a source, and I pled guilty to informing the public what that information was.”

Assange emphasized the dangers posed by the criminalization of journalistic activities, warning that it threatens investigative journalism worldwide. “Journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime. It is a pillar of a free and informed society,” he stressed. Assange also criticized the U.S. government, noting that as part of his plea deal, he is barred from pursuing justice through the European Court of Human Rights or filing Freedom of Information Act requests.

Accompanied by his wife Stella and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, Assange’s 20-minute statement was delivered calmly, though he occasionally paused to clear his throat. He apologized for the halting delivery, attributing it to the years of isolation that had taken a toll on him, making public speaking a challenge.

Assange’s release in June came after he struck a deal with the U.S. government, agreeing to plead guilty to a single felony charge in exchange for time served. This deal ended his five-year imprisonment in London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison, which he described as a “dungeon.” Before that, he had spent nearly seven years seeking refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition. Prior to the agreement, Assange had faced 18 criminal charges in the U.S. for his role in publishing classified material through WikiLeaks and could have been sentenced to 175 years in prison.