How Julian Assange’s release from prison unfolded
Here is a timeline of the key moments in the release of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange from a UK prison.
– Wednesday June 19
A plea agreement is signed by Mr Assange and the US authorities after weeks of intense negotiations. As part of the arrangement, Mr Assange will plead guilty to a charge under the US Espionage Act and be sentenced to time served, according to a UK High Court order made on Tuesday June 25.
– Thursday June 20
A bail hearing takes place in private at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the PA news agency understands.
– Monday June 24
Mr Assange is released from Belmarsh Prison in the early hours, and spends several hours at Stansted before his flight leaves.
The WikiLeaks founder is filmed boarding a chartered flight out of Stansted Airport at 5pm, according to a video released by WikiLeaks on X, formerly Twitter, early on Tuesday. He left the jurisdiction of England and Wales at 6.36pm, High Court judges said.
– Tuesday June 25
12.50am: WikiLeaks announces on X: “Julian Assange is free.”
1.10am: His wife, Stella Assange, thanks his supporters on X as she announces he is “free”.
6am: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tells the Australian parliament: “We want him brought home to Australia.”
6.30am: The charter plane carrying Mr Assange lands in Bangkok, according to an online flight tracker. The Bombardier Global 6000 jet remains there on a layover before he travels to the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, for a court hearing on Wednesday.
8.10am: Mrs Assange tells BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that she is “elated” at her husband’s release.
After a stopover in Thailand, Mr Assange appears before a judge in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific and pleads guilty to a single felony charge after the US dropped 17 other espionage charges against him. He admits to his role in the conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act and is sentenced to time already served in a British prison.
After the hearing Mr Assange boards a flight to his native Australia.
– Wednesday June 26
10.30am: Mr Assange lands in Australia’s capital Canberra at 8.30pm local time. He is met by wife Stella in an emotional reunion, embracing and kissing her after emerging from the private jet.
At a press conference a short time later, Mrs Assange says her husband will not speak publicly until a “time of his choosing” because he “needs to recuperate”.
