Julian Assange to make first public statement since release from prison

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, made his first public appearance on Tuesday since his release, attributing his freedom to pleading guilty to "journalism", which he described as a fundamental pillar of a free society. Speaking at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Assange noted that he was not freed because "the system worked", but rather due to his admission of guilt.

"I am not free today because the system worked. I am free today after years of incarceration because I pleaded guilty to journalism. I pleaded guilty to seeking information from a source," Assange said in his address to the Council of Europe’s legal committee. He further stated, "I eventually chose freedom over unrealisable justice after being detained for years and facing a 175 year sentence with no effective remedy."

"Justice for me is now precluded as the US government insisted in writing into its plea agreement that I cannot file a case at the ECHR or even a freedom of information act request over what it did to me as a result of its extradition request," he remarked.