Historic legal battle: Julian Assange now free

Australian Community Media

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to time already served in prison. His lawyer Jennifer Robinson spoke about the “historic day” outside the court before Mr Assange left the court on his way home to Australia.

Transcript

00:00Free man, Mr. Assange.

00:03Congratulations!

00:04How do you feel about the sentence, sir?

00:12Today is a historic day.

00:14It brings to an end 14 years of legal battles.

00:18And finally, after 14 years of legal battles, Julian Assange can go home a free man.

00:23This also brings to an end a case which has been recognised as the greatest threat to

00:30the First Amendment in the 21st century.

00:33So it is a huge relief to Julian Assange, to his family, to his friends, to his supporters

00:38and to us and to everyone who believes in free speech around the world that he can now

00:43return home to Australia and be reunited with his family.

00:47I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have around the world supported

00:51Julian Assange over these years and who have supported us in defending him.

00:56There has been a global movement behind Julian to protect free speech and it is because of

01:02that global movement of support that today's outcome is possible.

01:07I also want to take time to thank the Australian people and the Australian government for all

01:13of the support that we've received from home in Australia.

01:17In particular, I want to thank our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, for his statesmanship,

01:22his principled leadership and his diplomacy which made this outcome possible.

01:28It was as leader of the opposition, he said, and took a stand for justice and said, enough

01:33is enough, there is nothing to be served by Julian's continued incarceration.

01:38As Prime Minister, he stood true to his word and he did what he needed to do to ensure

01:44Julian's freedom.

01:45He raised it at the highest level, at every opportunity, and when Australian officials

01:50were making outreach to the US, they knew that they were acting with the full authority

01:55of the Prime Minister of Australia.

01:57It was his intention that this be done and we wouldn't be here today without the Prime

02:01Minister of Australia's support, so I want to thank Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

02:05I also want to thank our Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, our Foreign Minister Penny Wong,

02:11and give particular thanks to our US Ambassador and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for his

02:17adept diplomacy and his relentless efforts in Washington that facilitated our negotiations

02:22with the US Government and ensured this outcome.

02:26I also want to thank our High Commissioner in London, Stephen Smith, whose tireless work

02:31enabled us all to be here today.

02:34I think it's also important that we recognise the free speech implications of this case.

02:39Julian has suffered for more than 14 years because of the risk of expedition to the United

02:43States.

02:44He faced 175 years in prison for publishing evidence of war crimes, human rights abuse

02:50and US wrongdoing around the world.

02:54Today he pleaded guilty to an offence for having published information in the public

02:59interest for which he's won journalism awards the world over and been nominated for the

03:03Nobel Peace Prize every year for the past decade.

03:07This sets a dangerous precedent.

03:09This prosecution sets a dangerous precedent that should be of concern to journalists everywhere.

03:14The US is seeking to exercise extra-territorial jurisdiction over all of you without giving

03:19you constitutional free speech protections.

03:22And anyone who cares about free speech and democratic accountability should stand against

03:26it.

03:29But I want to encourage everyone that stood up and fought for Julian to continue to stand

03:34up and fight against this dangerous precedent.

03:37I hope that the fact that we've been able to free Julian Assange today against all the

03:42odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to

03:46all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.

03:50And we encourage everyone who stood to fight for Julian to continue that fight for him

03:56and for all of those others in the hope that we can secure their freedom too.

04:04Julian Assange is a serf.

04:06Julian Assange is a serf.

04:08Julian Assange is a serf.

04:10Julian Assange is a serf.

04:12Julian Assange is a serf.

04:14Julian Assange is a serf.

04:16Julian Assange is a serf.

04:18Julian Assange is a serf.

04:20Julian Assange is a serf.

04:22Julian Assange is a serf.

04:24Julian Assange is a serf.

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