Julian Assange released: The end of a legal battle

Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

After spending 1900 days in Belmarsh prison in Britain, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, stepped out of his cell on the morning of June 24, 2024. His release came as part of a deal whose full details are yet to be disclosed.

According to The Guardian, Assange's release was conditional upon his admission of guilt for violating US espionage laws. In exchange, the United States dropped its extradition request, which had long sought to bring him to trial.

While Assange departed for his home country Australia, his legal journey was far from over. He is scheduled to appear before a US district court in the Northern Mariana Islands, American territories in the Pacific Ocean, on Wednesday, June 26.

Al Jazeera reports that Assange is expected to receive a sentence of 62 months in prison, equivalent to the time he has already served in London. 

Consequently, he will be released immediately following the trial session.

Australia played a significant role in Assange's journey to freedom, consistently advocating for the release of its citizen through diplomatic channels. 

Australian Prime Minister confirmed the country's efforts the day after Assange's release.

Despite years of US pressure to detain Assange, his release comes with an admission of guilt that will remain marked in America's history, alongside the thousands of documents and recordings that incriminate the United States.