Julian Assange Advocates for Press Freedom at European Assembly

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, made his first public appearance since his release from prison, addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France. This constitutes his return to European soil after his incarceration in the United Kingdom, following charges under the United States Espionage Act.

Assange’s address centered on the theme of freedom of speech and the challenges faced by journalists. “I am not here today because the system worked, I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism,” Assange declared to Europe’s leading human rights organization. He criticized the U.S. and its allies for their handling of his case, claiming that legal protections for journalists “only existed on paper.”

The event at PACE was tightly controlled, with heavy media restrictions. Assange was accompanied by his wife, Stella, and WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson. He expressed his satisfaction at being present, despite the challenges he faced during his five-year imprisonment in Belmarsh Prison, UK, calling it a “relentless struggle to stay alive, physically and mentally.”

In his speech, he emphasized the critical state of freedom of expression, referring to it as “at a dark crossroads.” He articulated concerns over the “criminalisation of news-gathering activities” as a threat to investigative journalism everywhere. PACE recently concluded in a report that Assange was a political prisoner, calling for an inquiry into whether he had been subjected to inhumane treatment by British authorities.

During his address, Assange recounted his years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, describing the transition from isolation to appearing before representatives of 46 nations as “profound and surreal.” Despite the severity of the charges against him, Assange was released after pleading guilty under a U.S. plea deal, ending nearly 14 years of legal battles and confinement.

Assange has been a polarizing figure since WikiLeaks published classified U.S. military footage in 2010, revealing the killing of Iraqi civilians and two Reuters journalists by American forces. The release of this footage and subsequent diplomatic cables caused international controversy and embarrassment for the U.S. government.

The PACE assembly is set to debate and vote on a draft resolution condemning the “disproportionately severe charges” brought against Assange by the U.S. government. Richard Keen, a British conservative peer, offered a dissenting opinion, arguing that naming Assange a political prisoner “belittled the fate of true political prisoners.” However, the resolution points to the “dangerous chilling effect” of the U.S. Espionage Act on media freedom.

Since his release, Assange has been spending time with his family in Australia. His wife expressed hopes that his case would lead to safeguards preventing similar situations for other journalists in the future.