Julian Assange Speaks Out After Pleading Guilty to Journalism Charge in Plea Deal with US

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has made several public statements since his release from prison and return to Australia. He has stated that he is free today because he pleaded guilty to conducting journalism, rather than because the system worked in his favor. Assange has criticized the United States and its allies for their handling of his case, which he believes set a dangerous precedent for the imprisonment of journalists and whistleblowers. He has also urged lawmakers to act to protect freedom of expression in a climate with increasing impunity. Assange has described the transition from years of confinement to addressing the European parliamentarians as a "profound and surreal shift". Assange has also highlighted the need for legal protections for whistleblowers and journalists, stating that such protections "only existed on paper".