Julian Assange had been charged with 18 crimes of espionage and computer intrusion in the United States after the uncensorable Wikileaks website exposed U.S. war crimes. Consequently, he was arrested on April 11, 2019, being imprisoned for six years until now. Assange pleaded guilty under the U.S. Espionage Act on June 24th, being liberated for the time already served.
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00:00On Tuesday, journalist Julian Assange heads to Australia following his release on bail
00:04by the British justice after more than a decade of legal persecution for denouncing war crimes
00:09committed by the United States. The WikiLeaks founder agreed to plead guilty to a charge of
00:15espionage, which will validate the five years he served in British jails, fighting in court to
00:20avoid extradition to the US. Although US prosecutors are recommending the Assange be sentenced to an
00:27additional five years in prison, he will not be forced to serve that time in Washington jails
00:33since he pled guilty. Assange was charged under the Espionage Act for obtaining and
00:38disclosing classified information that shed light on numerous war crimes and human rights abuses
00:45committed by US troops during the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Julian Assange had been
00:55charged with 18 crimes of espionage and computer intrusion in the United States after the uncensorable
01:01WikiLeaks website exposed US war crimes. From July to November 2010, Assange published on
01:08WikiLeaks confidential documents on Afghanistan's and Iraq's operations. He revealed 70,000 top
01:14secret files on the international collision in Afghanistan, 400,000 reports and 250,000 diplomatic
01:21cables on the US invasion of Iraq. All these documents revealed multiple war crimes committed
01:27by the United States and its allies in their invasions against Middle Eastern countries.
01:32Consequently, he was arrested on April 11, 2019, after being in asylum for several years in the
01:38diplomatic headquarters of Ecuador in London, until he was expelled from the embassy by the
01:43government of Lenin Moreno, being apprehended by the British security forces. Later, on May 23rd,
01:502019, the US justice system, which had already charged him with computer hacking,
01:57indicted him on 17 other charges under the anti-espionage laws.
02:08Following the release of Australian journalist and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange,
02:14the WikiLeaks account on social media ex-issued. In this sense, it confirmed that Julian Assange
02:20is free after spending 1,901 days in prison, assuring that this is the result of a global
02:27campaign that included grassroots organizers, press freedom advocates, lawmakers and leaders
02:33from across the political spectrum. In this way, the statement also added that there is an
02:38agreement with the US Department of Justice that has not yet been formally concluded.
02:44The post also noted that Assange paid to expose groundbreaking stories about the government
02:49corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions.
02:55Finally, WikiLeaks thanks all those who have supported the cause of his freedom.
02:59In this regard, Julian Assange's lawyer and wife, Estela, wrote on her account on the social network
03:04ex. Julian is free. Words cannot express our immense gratitude to you. Yes, you, who have
03:11mobilized for years and years to make this come true. Thank you. Thank you.
03:21For his part, President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said,
03:25For his part, President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said,
03:28On behalf of the people of Venezuela, we embrace and congratulate Julian Assange on his release.
03:34It is the triumph of freedom and the struggle of humanity for the respect of human rights.
03:39Assange is an example of courage and bravery in the battle of truth. Justice will always prevail.
03:48Likewise, Cuban President Miguel DÃaz-Canel said,
03:51Assange is free. The long and cruel punishment imposed on him for his denunciations of imperial
03:57crimes will remain in the memory of the people as proof of how little his jailers believe in freedom
04:03is of the press. In this context, Julian Assange's brother, Gabriel Shipton,
04:15celebrated his release and affirmed that the journalist's health has deteriorated
04:19during his imprisonment.
04:50We're overjoyed. We're overwhelmed that he is finally free. This has been
04:55an incredibly long campaign with many millions of people around the world advocating for Julian.
05:05On the other hand, Shipton affirmed that international pressure was key to achieve
05:09the freedom of Julian Assange. It's taken years. It's taken years. It's taken
05:15constant lobbying around the world, constant protests. The media has been integral in this.
05:22They've been covering this story more and more, which has put a lot more pressure on those who
05:27have been pursuing Julian. I've been working in Washington, working in Congress over there,
05:34advocating for Julian's release for the past three or four years. This has been a global effort
05:43to get Julian Assange free, and credit to everybody out there. The Pope has advocated
05:51for Julian. President Lula of Brazil, the Australian Prime Minister, this has been a
05:57global effort to free Julian. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the
06:02agreement reached between the US government and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
06:07I've been very clear, as both the Labor leader in opposition but also as Prime Minister,
06:18that regardless of the views that people have about Mr Assange's activities,
06:24the case has dragged on for too long. There's nothing to be gained by his
06:28continued incarceration, and we want him brought home to Australia.
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