Julian Assange released after five years in prison
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been released from a United Kingdom prison after five years. The high court in London granted Assange bail, and he left the UK on Monday afternoon from Stansted airport.
Assange’s freedom secured
Assange will not be extradited to the United States due to a plea deal with the Justice Department. The WikiLeaks founder agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose U.S. national defense information, likely resulting in a sentence of the five years and three months served in Belmarsh Prison.
- Legal troubles began in 2010 with the publication of classified U.S. military documents
- Documents were leaked by Chelsea Manning and included diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts
- Assange sought refuge in London’s Ecuador embassy to avoid arrest over sexual misconduct allegations
- Traditional payment companies closed WikiLeaks’ accounts, prompting Assange to turn to Bitcoin for fundraising
- Despite protests, Assange was arrested in 2019 and jailed
Millions raised in crypto for Assange
Press freedom advocates protested Assange’s arrest, leading to the creation of the AssangeDAO, a decentralized organization that raised millions in ether for his legal defense. Thanks to these efforts, Assange has regained his freedom and is awaiting sentencing on Saipan.
- AssangeDAO and freedom advocates played a crucial role in securing Assange’s release
- Assange is set to be sentenced on Saipan by June 25 at 11:00 pm UTC
“As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom. Julian’s freedom is our freedom,” said WikiLeaks.
Hot Take: Celebrating Assange’s Freedom 🎉
Celebrate the recent release of Julian Assange after five years of imprisonment in the UK. Press freedom advocates and cryptocurrency enthusiasts played a significant role in securing his freedom. The power of decentralized action and support from the community ensured that Assange was granted bail and will not be extradited to the US. As we witness this victory for free speech and digital activism, let’s continue supporting causes that promote transparency, accountability, and justice in our society.
Sources:
– Julian Assange Tweet (https://x.com/wikileaks/status/1805390138945528183)
– Satoshi Nakamoto Protests (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2216.msg29280#msg29280)
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