In the jet for 520,000 dollars
Assange receives a rousing welcome upon arrival home
26.06.2024, 13:51
Now he is actually back home: Julian Assange lands in Canberra, Australia, on a private jet, where his wife can see him in freedom for the first time. The cost of the flight may be horrendous – but the Wikileaks founder can rely on his supporters.
After landing in his Australian homeland, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange had an emotional reunion with his family. Videos on social networks showed the 52-year-old hugging his wife Stella shortly after getting off the plane in Canberra – for the first time in freedom.
The relationship between the two only began after Assange had been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years since 2012. Assange kissed his wife deeply several times. Immediately afterwards, Assange was able to hug his father, John Shipton. Numerous eyewitnesses cheered when Assange left the charter plane. Shouts of “Welcome home” could be heard. The Australian waved to the people and raised a victorious fist to the sky several times. He is expected to make a public statement that evening.
The trip to Australia, however, was expensive for him. He had to return to his homeland Australia on a business jet from Great Britain via the Mariana Islands of Saipan. According to Assange’s wife Stella, the flight on the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft cost 520,000 US dollars, the equivalent of around 486,000 euros. The 52-year-old was therefore not allowed to take a scheduled flight.
Assange has to pay the Australian government back for the flight. But the Wikileaks founder can probably rely on his supporters. A crowdfunding website had already raised around $436,000 following a call for donations by the time Assange landed in Australia’s capital.
Confession of guilt against freedom
As part of an agreement with the US justice system, Assange pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pass on information for national defense purposes. At a court hearing in the Pacific territory of the Northern Mariana Islands, US judge Ramona Manglona declared that Assange was now a “free man”. The US Department of Justice confirmed in a statement that the case was officially closed.
According to observers, Assange was very emotional and close to tears after the court’s decision. Judge Manglona said it was apparently an early birthday present: “I heard that it’s your birthday next week. I hope you start your new life in a positive way.” Assange will be 53 years old on July 3.
The Wikileaks founder was formally sentenced to five years and two months in prison at the court hearing. However, this sentence is considered to have already been served because of his corresponding time in a British prison. Before his prison sentence, Assange had found asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years.
Assange is accused in the US of having published around 700,000 confidential documents about US military and diplomatic activities since 2010. The papers contained explosive information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the killing of civilians and the mistreatment of prisoners by US military personnel.
A hero for his supporters
For his supporters, Assange is a hero who fights for freedom of expression. His critics see him as a traitor who has endangered the security of the United States and intelligence sources.
“I hope that the fact that we have succeeded today in freeing Julian Assange against all odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world gives hope to all imprisoned journalists and publishers around the world,” Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson said outside the court, calling it a “historic day.”
Robinson thanked Prime Minister Albanese in particular for his tireless efforts on Assange’s behalf. “This result is the result of careful, patient and determined work. Work that I am very proud of,” said Albanese in an initial reaction in parliament.
Rape charges were dropped
Before his high-profile arrest in April 2019, Assange had holed himself up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years, evading the reach of law enforcement authorities. They had initially targeted him on charges of rape in Sweden. However, these charges were later dropped due to a lack of evidence. Human rights organizations, journalists’ associations, artists and politicians have repeatedly campaigned for his release.
Assange’s agreement with the US judiciary came two weeks before an important hearing before the British judiciary. The hearing was to concern his extradition to the USA. Following a court decision, the British government had already agreed to Assange’s extradition in June 2022, but the Wikileaks founder fought against it from the high-security Belmarsh prison. He had faced up to 175 years in prison in the USA.