Julian Assange Set for High-Profile Address Following Unexpected Release

Assange

Julian Assange is set to make his first public appearance since being released from a U.K. prison by addressing the Council of Europe next week in Strasbourg.

At a Glance

  • Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, will address the Council of Europe next week.
  • This will be his first public appearance since being freed from a British jail.
  • Assange will be in Strasbourg on October 1st to provide testimony for the Committee’s report into his case and its wider implications.
  • Assange returned to Australia in June after pleading guilty to violating U.S. espionage law.
  • The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) concluded Assange was a political prisoner and called for an investigation into potential inhumane treatment.

First Public Appearance Since Release

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, will address the Council of Europe next week. This significant event marks his first public appearance since being freed from Belmarsh high-security prison in the U.K. Assange had been held there since 2019, after being forcefully removed from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Assange’s meeting in Strasbourg on October 1st will see him providing evidence to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). This testimony is part of a comprehensive report examining his case and the broader implications of his prolonged detention. His appearance follows a report from PACE that recognized Assange as a political prisoner and has raised questions about his treatment during detention.

Return to Australia and Legal Battle

In June, Assange returned to Australia after entering a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. This deal required him to plead guilty to a single charge under the Espionage Act in exchange for his release. This agreement resulted in the U.S. dropping 17 other espionage-related charges against him. His freedom was secured after spending extensive time in solitary confinement in Belmarsh prison.

“Julian will be in Strasbourg next week on October 1st. It will be an exceptional break from his recovery as @COE invited Julian to provide testimony for the … Committee’s report into his case and its wider implications,” said Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, on X.

Additionally, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on the UK to independently review whether Assange faced inhuman or degrading treatment while incarcerated. The report authored by Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir discusses how governments use legal and extra-legal measures to suppress dissent beyond their borders, posing threats to press freedom and human rights.

Implications for Press Freedom

WikiLeaks, founded by Assange, gained global attention by publishing classified U.S. military documents. These publications spotlighted reports on civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq and a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that resulted in the deaths of two Reuters journalists and other civilians. This made Assange a symbol for free speech activists worldwide.

Supporters argue that Assange’s actions exposed misconduct in the U.S. military, while U.S. authorities claim his revelations endangered lives and threatened national security. His legal battles in the United States and the U.K. have persisted since 2010, following WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked documents regarding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The upcoming testimony in Strasbourg underscores the broader ramifications of Assange’s case, reflecting on the implications for human rights and press freedom. His release and return to Australia have allowed him to recover, with his wife noting his need to “rediscover freedom” after years of confinement.

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