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title: WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Begins Journey to Freedom, After U.S. Plea Deal | TIME
description: A plane carrying Julian Assange is enroute to Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific, where the WikiLeaks founder will appear in a federal court on Wednesday following a plea deal with American prosecutors. Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony for conspiring to obtain and disclose national defense information. In exchange for his plea, Assange will be allowed to return to his home country of Australia without serving any additional prison time.


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twitter:description: A plane carrying Julian Assange is enroute to Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific, where the WikiLeaks founder will appear in a federal court on Wednesday following a plea deal with American prosecutors. Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony for conspiring to obtain and disclose national defense information. In exchange for his plea, Assange will be allowed to return to his home country of Australia without serving any additional prison time.


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* World

# WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Begins Journey to Freedom, After U.S. Plea Deal

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## Video: WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Begins Journey to Freedom, After U.S. Plea Deal

[Watch (HLS stream): WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Begins Journey to Freedom, After U.S. Plea Deal](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/cEr41f1q.m3u8) (3:05)

![WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Begins Journey to Freedom, After U.S. Plea Deal](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/cEr41f1q/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2024-06-25. A plane carrying Julian Assange is enroute to Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific, where the WikiLeaks founder will appear in a federal court on Wednesday following a plea deal with American prosecutors. Assange is expected to plead guilty to a felony for conspiring to obtain and disclose national defense information. In exchange for his plea, Assange will be allowed to return to his home country of Australia without serving any additional prison time._


---

Jun 25, 2024 6:20 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

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### WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Retreats From Extradition Pledge

[WikiLeaks' Assange on China's 'Reform Potential'](/video/0xeYSoch/)

### WikiLeaks' Assange on China's 'Reform Potential'

[WikiLeaks Founder Assange on History's Top Leaks](/video/rNvCKBRZ/)

### WikiLeaks Founder Assange on History's Top Leaks

---


## Transcript

Is that right? The government is certainly aware that Australian citizen, Mr. Julian Assange, has legal proceedings scheduled in the United States. While this is a welcome development, we recognize that these proceedings are crucial and they're delicate. Given these proceedings are ongoing, it isn't appropriate to provide further detailed comment. I will say though that the Australian government has continued to provide concur assistance to Mr. Assange through the UK High Commissioner, Stephen Smith, who traveled with Mr. Assange when he left the United Kingdom. And US Ambassador Kevin Rudd. I've been very clear as both the labor leader in opposition, but also as Prime Minister, that regardless of the views that people have about Mr.

Assanz' activities, the case has dragged on for too long. Yeah. There's nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration, and we want him brought home to Australia. Yeah, Jilian obviously is overwhelmed to be out of prison, and he's been on a plane for a very long time now. He's not quite home back in Australia yet, so he's still got a little bit of a way to go. But yeah, I've been speaking to him this week and just going through all the details with him and, you know, very anxious, very excited, and he's looking forward to You spending time with his family and being free, being able to have the sunshine on his face, hear the birds, go for a swim in the ocean back in Australia, so it's very much looking forward to that.

Health has been deteriorating. He has a few different conditions, healthwise. But I think now is a chance for him to rest and recuperate. And we've been told by the doctors who assessed him that, you know, he can recover from this. You, Julian's family, we're overjoyed, we're overwhelmed, that he is finally free. This has been an incredibly long campaign with many and millions of people around the world advocating for Julian. The Australian government has been very much a part of this at these final moments. They are the only government who can represent Julian at a diplomatic level. They were able to step in at these last moments to secure help secure this deal for Julian and secure his freedom.

So very thankful to them. All the people in the United Kingdom who've been advocating for Julian over many, many years. This is This is their day too. So I hope there's a few people out there who are going to have a beer tonight and celebrate Julian's freedom.

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