As WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange landed in Australia, signalling the conclusion of a long legal struggle, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his happiness. After a plea agreement approved by a U.S. judge on Wednesday, Assange—who has been involved in legal issues for over a decade—is now free and at home for the first time in 12 years, according to CNN.
PM Albanese’s Warm Welcome
Prime Minister Albanese expressed his happiness at hearing Julian Assange return in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “Earlier tonight, I was pleased to speak with Julian Assange to welcome him home to his family in Australia. His arrival home ends a long-running legal process.” The Prime Minister acknowledged that Assange’s case had been drawn out for far too long and expressed gratitude for the US and UK governments’ efforts.
Emotional Homecoming in Canberra
Assange received a jubilant welcome upon his arrival in Canberra on Wednesday. He disembarked from a private jet at around 7:30 p.m. (0930 GMT), greeted by media and cheering supporters. Assange shared a heartfelt moment with his wife, Stella, and embraced his father before entering the terminal with his legal team. Prime Minister Albanese, who has been advocating for Assange’s release for years, had a warm conversation with him after his arrival.
End of a 14-Year Legal Saga
Assange’s return marks the end of a 12-year legal ordeal, during which he spent over five years in a British high-security prison and seven years in asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He faced extradition to Sweden on sexual assault allegations and to the U.S. on 18 criminal charges related to WikiLeaks’ 2010 release of classified U.S. military documents. These documents exposed details of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, leading to one of the largest breaches of classified information in U.S. history.
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