Lauren Taylor

AFTER YEARS OF INCARCERATION, WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE MADE HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE, BREAKING HIS SILENCE, SAYING HE ‘PLEADED GUILTY TO JOURNALISM’ TO SECURE HIS FREEDOM.

“I WANT TO BE TOTALLY CLEAR: I AM NOT FREE TODAY BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WORKED,” ASSANGE SAID. “I AM FREE TODAY AFTER YEARS OF INCARCERATION BECAUSE I PLED GUILTY TO JOURNALISM. 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.”

IN 2010, WIKILEAKS PUBLISHED CLASSIFIED U.S. MILITARY DOCUMENTS AND VIDEOS FROM THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS, EXPOSING ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, PRISONER ABUSE, AND CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

THE PUBLICATION SPARKED GLOBAL CONTROVERSY, LEADING TO A 14-YEARS-LONG LEGAL BATTLE FOR ASSANGE. THE CASE HAS BECOME A FOCAL POINT IN DEBATES OVER PRESS FREEDOM, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND THE LIMITS OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.

WHILE PRESS FREEDOM ADVOCATES CELEBRATED ASSANGE’S ROLE, US AUTHORITIES ACCUSED HIM OF RECKLESSNESS, CLAIMING THE LEAKS ENDANGERED LIVES AND COMPROMISED NATIONAL SECURITY.

ASSANGE PLEADED GUILTY TO A SINGLE FELONY CHARGE UNDER THE ESPIONAGE ACT, ENDING HIS LEGAL BATTLE IN THE UK AND PAVING THE WAY FOR HIS RETURN TO AUSTRALIA.

ASSANGE APPEARED BEFORE EUROPEAN LAWMAKERS, ADDRESSING THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, WHICH RELEASED A REPORT CONCLUDING THAT ASSANGE QUALIFIES AS A POLITICAL PRISONER, CALLING FOR A BRITISH INQUIRY INTO POTENTIAL INHUMAN TREATMENT DURING HIS DETENTION.

HE PROVIDED TESTIMONY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HIS DETENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND HIS PERSONAL WELL-BEING. HE DESCRIBED HIS IMPRISONMENT AS A ‘RELENTLESS STRUGGLE TO STAY ALIVE, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY,’ HIGHLIGHTING THE PROFOUND TOLL OF ISOLATION.

DESPITE CONCERNS OVER WIKILEAKS’ DISCLOSURES, THE COUNCIL’S REPORT NOTED NO EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL HARM RESULTING FROM THE LEAKS, CHALLENGING THE SEVERITY OF THE CHARGES AGAINST ASSANGE.

ASSANGE’S CASE IGNITED A GLOBAL DISCOURSE ON PRESS FREEDOM WITH ASSANGE ARGUING QUOTE, ‘THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS SIMPLE – JOURNALISTS SHOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED FOR DOING THEIR JOBS.’