The Return of Julian Assange

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, made his way back to his home country of Australia to a hero’s welcome. After pleading guilty to a felony charge of violating the U.S. Espionage Act, Australian politicians swiftly showed their support for a plea deal that granted him his freedom. Even Kevin Rudd, the former prime minister now serving as Australia’s ambassador to the United States, stood by his side in the U.S. courtroom on the Pacific island of Saipan.

End of a Long Standoff

Julian Assange’s case reached its conclusion in a rather remote location – the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth with historical ties to the U.S. post-World War II. The resolution came 14 years after Assange first published classified military and diplomatic documents, shedding light on secret U.S. spycraft and civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. At that time, opinions on Assange were divided, with some viewing him as a courageous journalist and others as a reckless anarchist endangering American lives.

During the 2016 presidential election, WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee, obtained by Russian hackers, further fueled the controversy surrounding Assange.

After spending five years in a British prison, where he got married and became a father of two, Assange’s image underwent a transformation in the eyes of many Australians. He evolved into a symbol of resilience against superpower oppression, a rebellious figure who had paid his dues and was deserving of a return to his homeland that has a history of embracing underdogs.