Julian Assange has been released from the UK prison. Reportedly, the journalist had to strike a deal with the US prosecution authorities. His pledging guilty of espionage can be a possible condition. Experts are sure that the US Democratic Party is trying to use the WikiLeaks founder as an advantage in the election campaign. What is Biden’s administration really trying to get from Assange?
Julian Assange has been released from the UK prison Belmarsh, WikiLeaks reports in its message on X (formerly, Twitter). Its founder spent 1,901 days in custody. However, London’s High Court ruled to release him on bail. The journalist left the country from Stansted airport.
‘This is the result of a global campaign that spanned press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations. This created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice, leading to a deal that has not yet been formally finalised. We will provide more information as soon as possible’, states the WikiLeaks message.
According to court records, the arrangements of Assange and the US attorney’s office imply that he plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information. According to CBS News, the plea will be finalized on June 26 at the final hearing ruling a sentence of 62 months in custody for him. At the same time, the investigation will credit the five years he has spent in prison in London.
The US Federal District Court meeting will take place on the Northern Mariana Islands. Following the verdict, Assange intends to return to Australia being its citizen. However, his guilty plea raises some experts’ questions.
In its turn, The Guardian calls it ‘a victory for Assange but not for the freedom of the press’. The newspaper underlines that the trial itself endangers all journalists reporting on US national security issues. The charges pressed against WikiLeaks founder punish the press for what it is doing as a profession.
In another piece, Guardian notes that the release of Assange is a result of ‘quiet diplomacy’. At the same time, the journalist’s father personally thanked the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. His son at last ‘will be able to enjoy an ordinary life’ with his family, he noted.
By the way, the spouse of WikiLeaks founder Stella Assange said her husband would seek pardon from the US President after being sentenced for espionage. In an interview to Reuters, she also said they would launch a fund-raising campaign to support the journalist. According to her, the funds will cover the debts to organize her husband’s flight to Australia.
Just to remind, the WikiLeaks website was launched in 2006. The portal focuses on publishing confidential information. The US probes against Assange began in 2010. The journalist faced 18 charges for the disclosure of secret information and conspiracy to obtain such information. The charges focused on the materials related to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Since 2012 WikiLeaks founder took refuge in the premises of the embassy of Ecuador in London. But in 2019 Quito ended his diplomatic asylum, after which Assange was arrested by the British police. Later they approved his extradition to the United States territory. WikiLeaks founder appealed against this decision of London, but it was rejected. However, already in May 2024 the court allowed the journalist to challenge the extradition.
The expert community notes that the deal between Assange and the American leadership became possible in the run-up to the presidential election in USA. The Biden Administration is planning to use the journalist as an advantage against Donald Trump, but they won’t be able to make significant changes in the country’s political landscape.
‘The case dragged on for a long time being in the limelight internationally, so, it seems, the Americans decided it would be better to cease the proceedings. All the more so, Assange became a hero for a part of America’s society, and polarization of opinions on different other matters is already quite active. Well, we can’t blame Assange – he has fought his battles’, writes Fyodor Lukyanov, Chief Editor, Russia in Global Politics, Research Director, Valdai International Discussion Club.
At the same time, he does not exclude that Assange might come back to journalism. ‘This person has quite a diverse character. He will take some time off and can go on again. But there will be no impact as it used to be. Things are different today: you blow the whistle, but no one cares’, Lukyanov notes.
Malek Dudakov, an expert on America, believes the deal became possible thanks to the wish of the democrats to use the high-profile case in their election campaign. ‘With this, they will now be able to soothe those irritated by the action against the journalist’, he said.
‘The release of Assange can be an attempt for Biden to play on some voters’ sentiments.
These are not only libertarians, but also left-wingers irritated by the policy of the American president in relation to Israel’, explained the expert. However, it is not impossible the American leader is trying to get closure on WikiLeaks, understanding there will be no way to arrange a similar deal after November.
The charges against the portal founder were brought in 2019 when Donald Trump was in office, reminded Dudakov. ‘The current presidential election could lead to any development. Biden’s defeat is very likely and it will work for the rethinking of the American DoJ’, says the political commentator.
When it comes to Assange’s deal with the US authorities, its details are still unknown. ‘I believe they will set some conditions before the journalist. These may include the requirements not to publish anything, not to influence the presidential race, not to contact with his informants in America who used to leak sensitive documents to him’, the speaker predicts. Dudakov assumes that after the court decision and the release, WikiLeaks founder will ‘quietly and peacefully live in Australia’.
Joe Biden’s administration is not doing too well in the run-up to the election,
Dmitry Drobnitsy, an expert on America, reminds. ‘Their aces against the Republicans lost weight one by one. The impact of ‘the Russian case’ and the gossip about Trump’s working for Kremlin’s benefit is gradually weakening. Now, the message of Julian Assange’s release pops up right in this context’, said the political expert.
He noted that this happened a few days before the first round of the election debate. ‘If the incumbent administration makes the journalist plead guilty to espionage and confirm their version of ‘the Russian case’, they will present this as their own victory’, the expert believes.
Moreover, Assange can become democrats’ advantage during the debates. ‘Most probably, they will try to make him expose Donald Trump in his statement’, Drobnitsky clarified. However, this will likely not influence the election odds and the way the political situation evolves in USA.
The expert on America does not exclude that Assange had to make the deal as his health has greatly deteriorated in recent years. ‘It may be that they have also guaranteed his personal security’, the speaker assumes. In his opinion, Assange will not get back to journalism. ‘Moreover, a court may ban him from doing so through a decision’, concluded Drobnitsky.