Julian Assange had supporters come up to him in court.
One thanked him and asked him to sign a book. I couldn’t see the title, but the inscription read: “with love”.
Julian Assange: Stella Assange says WikiLeaks founder needs time to ‘let our family be a family’ before speaking publicly – as it happened
This article is more than 1 month old
Stella Assange says husband needs time to recuperate after arriving in Australia following plea deal with US
Updated
Wed 26 Jun 2024 14.33 BST
First published on Tue 25 Jun 2024 22.28 BSTKey events
- Summary of the day …
- Summary:
- Stella Assange: 'let our family be a family'
- Assange told Albanese that Australian PM had 'saved his life'
- Anthony Albanese says Australian government did ‘exactly the right thing’ to secure Assange’s release
- Julian Assange lands in Canberra
- Anthony Albanese addresses parliament about Assange case
- WikiLeaks to hold press conference in Canberra tonight
- US ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcome
- Plane carrying Assange takes off in Saipan
- Summary
- US Justice Department statement: Assange prohibited from returning to US
- Assange leaves the courtroom
- Assange's lawyer addresses the media
- Court is adjourned
- Judge says Assange will walk from Saipan courtroom a free man
- Assange emotional as judge declares: 'this case ends with me here in Saipan'
- Judge not imposing any period of supervised release
- Judge acknowledges Assange's '14-year ordeal'
- Sentencing begins
- Here's what we know so far
- Australian PM: 'I will have more to say on Assange case once legal proceedings conclude'
- Court taking 20 minute break
- Judge accepts Julian Assange's guilty plea
- 15 minute recess to take place before 'final stage', judge says
- Reactions flow in the United States to Assange’s plea deal
- Assange pleads guilty to US espionage charge
- Assange is sworn in at court
- Julian Assange enters courtroom
- Assange hearing expected to begin any minute in full courtroom
- Who is Kevin Rudd?
- Assange court hearing to begin in less than half an hour
- Watch: Julian Assange arrives at Saipan court
- Where is Saipan, and why is Julian Assange there?
- Julian Asssange arrives at Saipan court alongside Kevin Rudd
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Key events
- Summary of the day …
- Summary:
- Stella Assange: 'let our family be a family'
- Assange told Albanese that Australian PM had 'saved his life'
- Anthony Albanese says Australian government did ‘exactly the right thing’ to secure Assange’s release
- Julian Assange lands in Canberra
- Anthony Albanese addresses parliament about Assange case
- WikiLeaks to hold press conference in Canberra tonight
- US ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcome
- Plane carrying Assange takes off in Saipan
- Summary
- US Justice Department statement: Assange prohibited from returning to US
- Assange leaves the courtroom
- Assange's lawyer addresses the media
- Court is adjourned
- Judge says Assange will walk from Saipan courtroom a free man
- Assange emotional as judge declares: 'this case ends with me here in Saipan'
- Judge not imposing any period of supervised release
- Judge acknowledges Assange's '14-year ordeal'
- Sentencing begins
- Here's what we know so far
- Australian PM: 'I will have more to say on Assange case once legal proceedings conclude'
- Court taking 20 minute break
- Judge accepts Julian Assange's guilty plea
- 15 minute recess to take place before 'final stage', judge says
- Reactions flow in the United States to Assange’s plea deal
- Assange pleads guilty to US espionage charge
- Assange is sworn in at court
- Julian Assange enters courtroom
- Assange hearing expected to begin any minute in full courtroom
- Who is Kevin Rudd?
- Assange court hearing to begin in less than half an hour
- Watch: Julian Assange arrives at Saipan court
- Where is Saipan, and why is Julian Assange there?
- Julian Asssange arrives at Saipan court alongside Kevin Rudd
Court is adjourned
Julian Assange tightens his tie, and holds his glasses in his hand as Judge Manglona goes through some final formalities.
With that ... Mr Assange, it’s apparently an early happy birthday to you, I understand your birthday is next week. I hope you will start your new life in a positive manner.
Court is adjourned.
Assange hugs his team and shakes hands with McKenzie and Anderson. He is tearing up.
US barristers in the UK withdrawing extradition request
McKenzie says US barristers in the UK are “forthwith” withdrawing their extradition request for Assange.
Judge Manglona again checks he understands all the details of the agreement.
Julian Assange, a little hoarse, replies: “I do.”
Judge says Assange will walk from Saipan courtroom a free man
“With this pronouncement it appears you will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man. I hope there will be some peace restored,” Judge Manglona says, noting the island of Saipan was this week celebrating 80 years of its own freedom.
Now there is some peace, you need to restore with yourself when you walk out and pursue your life as a free man.
Assange emotional as judge declares: 'this case ends with me here in Saipan'
Julian Assange appears to be a little emotional. He nods as Judge Manglona says, “it appears this case ends with me here in Saipan”.
Judge not imposing any period of supervised release
Judge Manglona:
For these reasons ... on the basis of this very serious espionage case against you ... I am in fact sentencing you to a period of time served.
I am not imposing any period of supervised release.
Judge acknowledges Assange's '14-year ordeal'
“You stand before me to be sentenced in this criminal action,” Judge Manglona says.
I would note the following: Timing matters. If this case was brought before me some time near 2012, without the benefit of what I know now, that you served a period of imprisonment ... in apparently one of the harshest facilities in the United Kingdom.
There’s another significant fact – the government has indicated there is no personal victim here. That tells me the dissemination of this information did not result in any known physical injury.
These two facts are very relevant. I would say if this was still unknown and closer to [2012] I would not be so inclined to accept this plea agreement before me.
“But it’s the year 2024,” she continued, and she also has to consider the case and seven year imprisonment of Chelsea Manning.
It appears your 62 months ... was fair and reasonable and proportionate to Ms Manning’s actual prison time.
She also acknowledges Assange’s “14-year ordeal”.
There’s a bit of bouncing around here.
Financial aspect of the agreement: Taking in all the information and laws, and the plea agreement, Judge Manglona says a potential fine is in the range of $15,000 to $150,000.
The court hears Assange is unable to pay, and that the agreement recommends not applying a fine. There will be no forfeiture or restitution (as there is no individual victim in this case).
If Assange is released without a term of supervision, “the defendant would effectively be able to be considered free”, says Judge Manglona.
McKenzie, for the US government, says the 62 months in Belmarsh is an “appropriate sentence of time served”.
Assange is being invited up to the lectern directly in front of her, his two counsel standing beside him.
Assange’s attorney makes the case for no further incarceration
Julian Assange’s attorney tells the court:
We’ll stand on the record in this case. This is an unprecedented prosecution. I think the court is aware Mr Assange has already suffered significant consequences, including ... his time in Belmarsh, and we believe given the guidelines, the lack of criminal history, and the nature of the conduct, that no further incarceration is warranted and time served is appropriate.
Assange declines to make his own statement in addition.
