Julian Assange: "I Pled Guilty to Journalism" in Bid for Freedom

[Social Media]

 

In his first public address since being released from prison, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange declared that his freedom was not due to the justice system functioning as intended, but rather because he "pled guilty to journalism." Speaking at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, Assange gave his testimony to the Parliamentary Assembly, discussing the effects of his detention and conviction on human rights. The assembly consists of representatives from 46 European nations, and his speech was given ahead of a broader debate on his case and its implications.

Julian Assange confirms that the only reason he is free today is because he "pled guilty to journalism". pic.twitter.com/4OjUcE1Bvm

— Sumit (@SumitHansd) October 1, 2024

 

"I am not free today because the system worked," Assange said, making it clear that he attributed his release to his controversial journalistic activities. "I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism. I pled guilty to seeking information from a source."

 

Assange’s release in June came after five years of imprisonment in the United Kingdom. He had pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing classified U.S. military documents in an agreement with U.S. prosecutors, marking the conclusion of a prolonged legal battle. Prior to his imprisonment, Assange spent seven years in self-imposed exile within the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he sought asylum to avoid extradition, citing political persecution.

 

The documents released by Assange’s organization, WikiLeaks, exposed sensitive U.S. military operations, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. These included war logs and diplomatic cables that revealed misconduct by U.S. forces, information that would likely have remained concealed without Assange’s involvement. One of the most notable releases was a video showing a 2007 Apache helicopter strike in Baghdad, during which American forces killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.

 

Assange’s supporters, particularly advocates of press freedom, praised his efforts, arguing that his work was vital in exposing military abuses that might otherwise have gone unchecked. However, his critics took a starkly different view. They accused him of recklessly endangering national security and putting lives at risk, particularly those of individuals who had provided information to U.S. forces in the Middle East. Some argued that Assange’s actions had exceeded the boundaries of traditional journalism, turning him into a criminal rather than a whistleblower.

 

Assange’s legal journey reached its conclusion in a U.S. district court on the Northern Mariana Islands, an American commonwealth in the Pacific. There, he pleaded guilty to charges under the Espionage Act, admitting to conspiring to unlawfully obtain and distribute classified national defense information. His sentence amounted to the time he had already spent behind bars while contesting extradition from the U.K. to the United States.

 

The Council of Europe’s human rights committee took a strong stance on the issue, designating Assange as a political prisoner and issuing a draft resolution condemning the harsh treatment he endured. The committee expressed its deep concern about the wider implications of his case on press freedom and human rights, highlighting what they described as a chilling effect on investigative journalism.

 

As the debate surrounding his actions and their consequences continues, Assange’s legacy remains polarizing. For some, he is a champion of transparency and accountability in government. For others, his methods posed an unacceptable risk to lives and national security. What is clear is that his case has ignited significant discussions about the role of journalism, freedom of information, and the ethical boundaries that should govern both.

 

Based on a report from: ABC News 2024-10-02

 

 

 

[Tug]

Naa you got caught out exposing secrets and putting lives at risk 

[WDSmart]

Lock him up!

He published documents he knew were marked "Classified" by the US government, and he's pled guilty to that. Case closed! 

[johng]

Thanks Julian for exposing  despicable crimes against humanity committed by the so called self proclaimed "good guys".

[Chomper Higgot]

Pished away the prime of his life hiding from justice.

 

I have more respect for young oiks who turn up to court on their own to face trial for their crimes, they could all teach the narcissist Assange a thing or two about manning up.

 

 

 

 

[JonnyF]

Brave man.

 

Wouldn't be silenced and paid the price but will go down in history as one of the good guys. 

 

Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of every Democracy. Well, it should be...

[john donson]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Naa you got caught out exposing secrets and putting lives at risk 

 

you mean soldiers shooting up innocent people and laughing about it, kind of secrets ?

[Tropicalevo]

38 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Brave man.

 

Wouldn't be silenced and paid the price but will go down in history as one of the good guys. 

 

Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of every Democracy. Well, it should be...

 

And I thought that it was honesty and integrity.

Not being a greedy, little selfish git monetising stolen goods.

As for the joke about him being a journalist - not in a million years.

He never wrote anything. Just published the said stolen goods.

The little tight rrrs even made his lawyer pregnant and married her to save on fees.

 

One of the good guys???  🤮 🤮 🤮

[Captor]

Not forget the rape in Sweden...

[Red Forever]

Julian is a brave man.

What most people don't know is that he took exile in the Equadorian Embassy/Consulate to escape Britain's attempt to extradite him to Sweden to face trumped up charges of sexual assault which were later dropped when it became known that the "victim" was in fact a CIA operative.

The other part of the story is the U.S. attempts to extradite him from U.K.

It is to President Biden's credit that Julian is now free.

[MalcolmB]

9 minutes ago, Captor said:

Not forget the rape in Sweden...

BS

He was playing the field and had two on the go at once.

 

When they found out about each other, they didn’t like it, carried on they were upset that he was sleeping around and wasn’t using condoms and could have exposed them to STDs and not using the condoms (which they were ok about during the consensual sex) was the “rape” charge.

 

I think millions of us have also done exactly the same, I have, but never were charged with “rape”.

 

I am not one to slut shame but those girls were hardly virgins waiting for marriage. 
 

The USA after being exposed for killing innocent children in Iraq then panicked and went with the rape nonsense. 
Bullies hate being exposed.

[Purdey]

Like other journalists before him, he received documents from an inside source. Remember Woodward and Bernstein?

The video of the helicopter shooting unarmed civilians and the pilot's response when he learned he had shot up some kids? They shouldn't have been there. No shame at all. 

Oh, and no assets i.e. spies were killed due to the release of the documents.