Julian Assange's emotional message to Anthony Albanese
Julian Assange has shared an emotional message with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after he touched down in Australia for the first time in over a decade.
On Wednesday, the WikiLeaks founder pleaded guilty to a single count of espionage in exchange for his freedom after a 14-year long legal battle.
After fronting a federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific, on Wednesday morning, Assange then boarded a plane to Australia and landed in Canberra on Wednesday night.
When he landed, Assange was greeted by a throng of waiting media and a small group of supporters, who he dodged as he headed straight toward his wife, 40-year-old lawyer Stella Assange who is the mother of his two sons, Gabriel and Max.
After the emotional family reunion, the 52-year-old spoke with Anthony Albanese, telling him simply, "You saved my life."
Mr Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson went on to say that his statement "wasn't an exaggeration".
Ms Robinson told the media that her client is “absolutely delighted” to arrive home following “long and complex” negotiations with the government.
She said the development was a “huge win” for Australia and showed that Mr Albanese had “stood up to our ally”, the US.
“That Julian came home today is the product of 14 long years of legal battles, political advocacy and ongoing campaigning — not just by us, but by so many people in this community,” she said.
Mr Albanese later tweeted a picture of himself on the phone with the caption, “Earlier tonight I was pleased to speak with Julian Assange to welcome him home to his family in Australia."
“His arrival home ends a long-running legal process. I want to express my appreciation to the United States and the United Kingdom for their efforts in making this possible."
“As Prime Minister, I have been clear – regardless of what you think of his activities, Mr Assange’s case had dragged on for too long. I have clearly and consistently – at every opportunity and at every level – advocated for Mr Assange’s case to be concluded.”
Image credits: Wikileaks/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial