“I am not free because the system worked, but because I declared myself guilty of doing journalism. “I pleaded guilty to seeking information from a source.” WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has broken his silence three months after being released and returned to his native Australia following years of imprisonment or confinement in the Ecuadorian embassy due to legal persecution in the United States for the revelation of classified documents through this. platform. Assange was invited by the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly, which is debating a resolution on the human rights implications of his case on Tuesday.
Assange began by recounting how difficult the last years of his life were: first asylum under the government of Rafael Correa to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was accused of sex crimes, then imprisoned in a maximum security prison. in London, where he was detained on behalf of the United States, which had requested his extradition. He remained there for five years until he reached an agreement for his release with this country, which accused him of having encouraged and assisted former soldier Chelsea Manning to steal military records. For the 18 counts charged against him, he faces up to 175 years in prison.
Assange’s appearance is a plea for press freedom. “I see more impunity, more secrecy, more retaliation for telling the truth and more self-censorship,” lamented the founder of WikiLeaks, who warned that “transnational repression cannot become the norm.” in reference to the persecution of the United States. which led him to be under the surveillance of the authorities of different countries.
“Journalists should not be persecuted for doing their work, journalism is the pillar of our society,” said Assange at one point in his speech during which he provoked applause from MPs present at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where there were 46 deputies. the countries of the continent are represented. Assange referred to informants who die in conflicts, among whom he cited those in Ukraine or Gaza: “It is worrying that the political and geopolitical alignment of media organizations means that they do not cover these victims or that They only cover certain people. victims. “It’s a breakdown in journalistic solidarity.”
“I hope that my testimony today will serve to highlight the weaknesses of existing guarantees and to help those whose cases are less visible, but who are just as vulnerable,” he defended during his speech, in which he spoke slowly and with several interruptions to clarify things. throat and drinking water.
Assange’s trip to Strasbourg was his first departure from Austria since returning after striking the deal with the United States, meaning he cannot sue over the harassment he suffered during these 14 years, when WikiLeaks published thousands of diplomatic cables. with relevant information that shed light on US military irregularities in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was there that his legal persecution began, which led to his being incarcerated for more than a decade. Now, he says, he must “readjust” to free life.
