Julian Assange: Stella Assange says WikiLeaks founder needs time to ‘let our family be a family’ before speaking publicly – as it happened
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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
Live feed
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
We are expecting Assange’s wife Stella Assange and his legal team to address supporters in Canberra any minute now.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge has come to the East Hotel in Canberra, where Assange’s family members are expected to speak shortly.
He said Assange’s freedom was “pretty extraordinary...it’s one of those campaigns where you’re never quite sure when it ends”.
The PM posted this photo of himself on the phone to Julian Assange earlier this evening:
Earlier tonight I was pleased to speak with Julian Assange to welcome him home to his family in Australia. pic.twitter.com/r0Yl3iJtdb
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 26, 2024
We’re at the East Hotel in Canberra’s Kingston – just a six-minute drive from Parliament House. It’s also where the Assange family is holding a media conference at 9.15pm.
We’re told Julian Assange won’t be attending but it’s expected his wife, Stella, and family will be there.
Supporters are out the front with “free Assange” banners and signs urging the government to fix whistleblower protection.
A few federal politicians around are milling around but it’s hard to tell who is here for a regular Wednesday night beverage (this is a favourite haunt for politicians and staffers) and who’s here in support.
For some Assange is a hero, for others a threat. Here we explain how Assange became a divisive character and what the details are of his plea deal:
Albanese says Assange was grateful for the help of the government:
I’ve never met Mr Assange. I had a very warm discussion with him this evening, though he was very generous in his praise of the Australian government’s efforts. The Australian government stands up for Australian citizens. That’s what we do.
Anthony Albanese says Australian government did ‘exactly the right thing’ to secure Assange’s release
The PM has said he supported Assange because he believes in supporting Australian citizens.
I made it clear from the beginning I had the same position as opposition leader on all of these issues, as I’ve had as prime minister. As prime minister of Australia, you have an opportunity to make a difference.
….
Some people have been very critical that we weren’t doing enough. What we were doing was exactly the right thing to achieve an outcome. I’m an an outcomes-based politician. I believe in making a difference. We can make a difference.
Albanese said this has been building for a long time:
You know, there are there are steps. It required a plea deal requires a two-sided agreement between the Department of Justice and Julian Assange.
It requires, in this case, Mr Assange, to receive advice from his legal team. And we have been in, in contact with his legal team over a period.
The PM said he called Assange as soon as he touched down:
I was pleased to speak with him … immediately upon the wheels touching the ground. I was quite pleased to be the first person here who he spoke with, which was … mutually worked out that would occur.
