CANBERRA: Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, revealed on Wednesday that a series of undisclosed missions to the United States played a key role in securing the plea deal that resulted in the release of Julian Assange.
The 52-year-old founder of WikiLeaks returned to Canberra earlier in the day after his release was secured by pleading guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate US national defense information. He had been sentenced by a court in the US Pacific territory of Northern Mariana Islands to time already served in London’s Belmarsh prison—five years and two months—and was subsequently allowed to walk free.
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, Prime Minister Albanese said that the US Department of Justice made independent decisions regarding the plea deal, underscoring that they were not influenced politically.
“A whole range of people made visits to the United States during the negotiations,” Albanese stated, hinting at the covert nature of some of these diplomatic efforts. “Some of these visits were not widely known, but they were critical to the eventual outcome.”
Albanese said that he had direct exchanges with Assange’s legal team throughout the negotiations, ensuring Australian involvement in the process. He also mentioned that Australia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith, facilitated communication by visiting Assange at Belmarsh prison.
“The details of the plea deal were carefully negotiated over a period of time,” Albanese explained. “This approach was seen as the most viable path to resolving the legal matters surrounding Julian Assange.”
While confirming that he had not personally met Assange before his return to Australia, Albanese described a cordial conversation with him upon his arrival in Canberra.
“I had a very warm discussion with him this evening. He expressed gratitude for the efforts made by the Australian government,” Albanese added. “It is our duty to stand up for Australian citizens, and that’s exactly what we have done in this case.”
The release of Julian Assange marks a significant development in a legal saga that has spanned several years, involving extradition battles and international controversy over freedom of the press and government transparency.
Assange’s return to Australia follows years of legal challenges stemming from his involvement in publishing classified information through WikiLeaks. The case has sparked global debate on issues of journalism ethics, national security, and the boundaries of free speech.
