Julian Assange is no longer in prison; he was released in June 2024 after striking a plea deal with the United States and has since returned to Australia, where he is living with significant legal and political baggage still attached to his name.

What Actually Happened

After more than a decade of legal battles over WikiLeaks’ publication of US diplomatic and military files in 2010–2011, Assange agreed in 2024 to plead guilty to a single US charge of conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified national defense information under the Espionage Act. In exchange, he was sentenced to 62 months, which was counted as time served from his years in London’s high‑security Belmarsh Prison, allowing him to walk free.

He was released from Belmarsh on 24 June 2024, flown out of the UK under the terms of the deal, taken to a US federal court on the Pacific island of Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), and formally entered his guilty plea there. Because the sentence matched the time he had already spent in custody, he was allowed to leave court and travel on to Australia soon afterwards.

Where He Is Now

Assange has returned to Australia and reunited with his wife Stella and their two young children, with his family repeatedly stressing that his priority is to recover his health and have privacy after years of confinement. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly welcomed his release as a matter that had “gone on for too long”, and Australian officials had been lobbying the US for a resolution before the plea deal was reached.

The US Department of Justice has stated that, because of his conviction, he cannot enter the United States again without explicit permission from US authorities. Supporters and his legal team have said they intend to seek a pardon in the US, arguing that prosecuting him for publishing classified material poses a serious risk to press freedom and investigative journalism.

How Things Reached This Point

Some key beats in the long saga:

  • 2010–2011: WikiLeaks publishes large troves of classified US military and diplomatic documents provided by Chelsea Manning, exposing civilian killings, war logs, and sensitive cables; US officials say the leaks endangered lives and national security.
  • 2010–2012: Sweden issues a warrant over sexual‑offence allegations (which he denied), and Assange fights extradition from the UK, saying it would lead to onward extradition to the US.
  • 2012–2019: He takes refuge in Ecuador’s London embassy for nearly seven years until Ecuador withdraws his asylum, allowing UK police to arrest him.
  • 2019–2024: He is held in Belmarsh Prison while the US seeks his extradition on multiple Espionage Act charges that together could have meant up to 175 years in prison; Swedish prosecutors later drop their case, citing the passage of time.
  • 2024: After years of international campaigning, legal appeals, and political pressure from Australia, the plea deal is struck, leading to his release and return home.

Current Debate and Forum Buzz

Assange’s release did not end the argument about what he represents; if anything, it sharpened it.

  • Press‑freedom advocates and many supporters view him as a whistleblower figure whose prosecution under the Espionage Act sets a dangerous precedent for journalists who publish leaked government material.
  • Critics counter that WikiLeaks’ document dumps lacked careful redaction, may have risked the safety of informants, and went beyond traditional journalism into reckless disclosure and political interference.

In online discussions and forums, people still debate whether his actions helped expose vital truths about US wars or whether they irresponsibly endangered sources and fueled political chaos, especially around events like the 2016 US election. Some posters frame him as a political prisoner used as a warning to others, while others argue he is not a journalist at all and should be held fully accountable for breaching secrecy laws.

What To Watch Going Forward

Even though he is physically free, Assange’s story is not completely over.

  • His team has talked about pursuing a pardon to wipe away the US felony conviction, which hangs over his ability to travel and shapes his legacy.
  • Ongoing discussions in media, legal circles, and forums treat his case as a test of where to draw the line between national security and the public’s right to know, especially in the age of mass leaks and digital whistleblowing.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.