LONDON — A plane believed to be carrying Julian Assange landed on Tuesday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The WikiLeaks founder was photographed boarding a private plane in the United Kingdom after he reached a deal with prosecutors in the United States to plead guilty to a single felony count.
Assange had been accused by the United States of conspiring with Chelsea Manning, who, as an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, leaked to Assange hundreds of thousands of classified documents, including about 250,000 U.S. Department of State cables. WikiLeaks began publishing those documents in 2010.
“Julian Assange is free,” WikiLeaks said in a statement posted to social media early on Tuesday.
A private jet believed to be carrying Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, after he left a British prison, lands on the tarmac at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, June 25, 2024.
Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters
Assange early on Monday walked out of London‘s Belmarsh High Security Prison after more than five years at the facility, WikiLeaks said. He’d spent 1901 days there, the group said.
“He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK,” WikiLeaks said.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange boards a plane at a location given as London, Britain, in this still image from video released June 25, 2024.
WikiLeaks/X via Reuters
Assange is expected to stop in Thailand before traveling to a the Northern Mariana Islands, where he’s expected to plead guilty in a U.S. federal court. He’s then expected to continue on to his native Australia.
“After more than five years in a 2×3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon reunite with his wife Stella Assange, and their children, who have only known their father from behind bars,” WikiLeaks said.
This screen shot courtesy of WikiLeaks’ X page shows Wikileaks founder Julian Assange walking to board a plane from London Stansted Airport on June 24, 2024.
WikiLeaks/AFP via Getty Images
Stella Assange, a longtime partner who married Assange in 2022, released a statement praising the “incredible movement” that had sprung up to protest Assange’s detention and the U.S. charges against him.
“A movement of people from all walks of life, from around the world who support not just Julian, and not just us and our family, but what Julian stands for: Truth and justice,” Stella Assange said. “We still need your help. What starts now with Julian’s freedom is a new chapter.”
Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks, has once again found himself at the center of media attention as reports emerged that his plane had landed in Thailand. The news sparked a flurry of speculation about the reasons behind his visit to the Southeast Asian country.
Assange, who has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to the United States, has been a polarizing figure in the world of politics and journalism. His organization, WikiLeaks, gained notoriety for publishing classified government documents, including diplomatic cables and military files, which have exposed government secrets and sparked debates about transparency and accountability.
The reasons for Assange’s visit to Thailand remain unclear, but some have speculated that he may be seeking asylum or support from the Thai government. Thailand has a history of granting asylum to political dissidents, and Assange’s legal troubles in the US could make him a candidate for such protection.
Others have suggested that Assange’s visit may be related to his ongoing legal battles in the UK and US. In April 2019, he was arrested by British authorities after Ecuador revoked his asylum status, and he now faces extradition to the US on charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. His supporters fear that he will not receive a fair trial in the US and that he could face harsh punishment if convicted.
The timing of Assange’s visit to Thailand is also significant, as it comes just weeks before the US presidential election in November. WikiLeaks played a key role in the 2016 election by publishing emails from the Democratic National Committee that were damaging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Some believe that Assange may have new information that could impact the upcoming election and are eagerly awaiting any potential leaks.
Despite the speculation surrounding Assange’s visit, his presence in Thailand has raised concerns about his safety and well-being. Human rights organizations have called on the Thai government to ensure that he is treated fairly and not subjected to extradition or other forms of persecution.
As the world waits for more information about Assange’s visit to Thailand, one thing is clear: his presence in the country has once again put him in the spotlight and reignited debates about freedom of speech, government transparency, and the role of whistleblowers in society. Only time will tell what the future holds for Julian Assange and his controversial legacy.
