Julian Assange, who entered a plea deal with the US authorities on Monday (June 24) that allows him to be free, has entered the annals of history as an undisputed champion of free speech. But for many, especially the US intelligentsia whose dirty secrets related to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was revealed by Assange's Wikileaks in 2010, the 52-year-old Australian is a reckless publisher of information that should stay classified.

The founder of Wikileaks has spent more than a decade either in custody or in asylum inside Ecuador's London embassy while trying to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was facing sexual assault charges that were later dropped.

Soon after Assange published revelations from classified documents about US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010, rape allegations in Sweden followed, which he denied. Assange in past has described himself as a cyberpunk and even contributed to a book by the same name. Cyberpunks&nbsp;oppose the purported militarisation of cyberspace and call for freer access to information, some of which often stays classified&nbsp;to the general public.&nbsp;

Assange was in Britain when Sweden sought his extradition in the sexual assault case in 2012.

Ecuador granted him political asylum and let him into its London embassy where he lived from 2012 to 2019. He kept on releasing statements from asylum until March 2018 whilst he still had access to the internet. In these statements released via WikiLeaks, Assange controversially advocated for "holding the national security sector to account" and described the quality of discourse as the "limit of civilisation".

In academia, Assange's emphasis on the contagious nature of courage during moments of revolution gained currency and redefined the syllabi of liberal arts papers in universities across the world.&nbsp;

"Tiananmen Square is so heavily policed in China because it's a congregation point where courage can spread like a contagion," Assange was quoted as saying by the French newspaper Le Monde in December 2010.

Also watch |&nbsp;WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to plead guilty in espionage act case in US court

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His stay in the Ecuadorian embassy ended after a new government in Quito handed him over to the British police in April 2019. He was arrested for violating bail and jailed.&nbsp;

The Swedish prosecutors dropped their sexual assault investigation in 2019. But the US authorities charged him with violating the US Espionage Act and sought extradition.

On June 25, 2024, WikiLeaks announced that its founder was free and that he was flying home to Australia.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/julian-assange-is-free-wikileaks-confirms-its-founder-is-flying-home-to-australia-734790">Julian Assange is free: Wikileaks confirms its founder is flying home to Australia</a>

Assange is scheduled to appear in court in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US possession in the Pacific, where he will plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information in exchange for his freedom, ending the years-long legal drama.

Julian Assange, who entered a plea deal with the US authorities on Monday (June 24) that allows him to be free, has entered the annals of history as an undisputed champion of free speech.

Julian Assange, who entered a plea deal with the US authorities on Monday (June 24) that allows him to be free, has entered the annals of history as an undisputed champion of free speech. But for many, especially the US intelligentsia whose dirty secrets related to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was revealed by Assange's Wikileaks in 2010, the 52-year-old Australian is a reckless publisher of information that should stay classified. The founder of Wikileaks has spent more than a decade either in custody or in asylum inside Ecuador's London embassy while trying to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he was facing sexual assault charges that were later dropped. Soon after Assange published revelations from classified documents about US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010, rape allegations in Sweden followed, which he denied. Assange in past has described himself as a cyberpunk and even contributed to a book by the same name. Cyberpunks oppose the purported militarisation of cyberspace and call for freer access to information, some of which often stays classified to the general public. Assange was in Britain when Sweden sought his extradition in the sexual assault case in 2012. Ecuador granted him political asylum and let him into its London embassy where he lived from 2012 to 2019. He kept on releasing statements from asylum until March 2018 whilst he still had access to the internet. In these statements released via WikiLeaks, Assange controversially advocated for "holding the national security sector to account" and described the quality of discourse as the "limit of civilisation". In academia, Assange's emphasis on the contagious nature of courage during moments of revolution gained currency and redefined the syllabi of liberal arts papers in universities across the world. "Tiananmen Square is so heavily policed in China because it's a congregation point where courage can spread like a contagion," Assange was quoted as saying by the French newspaper Le Monde in December 2010. Also watch | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to plead guilty in espionage act case in US court × His stay in the Ecuadorian embassy ended after a new government in Quito handed him over to the British police in April 2019. He was arrested for violating bail and jailed. The Swedish prosecutors dropped their sexual assault investigation in 2019. But the US authorities charged him with violating the US Espionage Act and sought extradition. On June 25, 2024, WikiLeaks announced that its founder was free and that he was flying home to Australia. Also read | Julian Assange is free: Wikileaks confirms its founder is flying home to Australia Assange is scheduled to appear in court in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US possession in the Pacific, where he will plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information in exchange for his freedom, ending the years-long legal drama.

Who is Julian Assange, a 'cyberpunk' or reckless publisher of classified information?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to revealing military secrets in exchange for his release from prison, ending years of legal wrangling that shaped global debate around free speech starting the 2010s. Here is a timeline of events.&nbsp;

2010: Assault charges

In July 2010, Assange's whistleblowing website WikiLeaks began publishing hundreds of thousands of leaked US military documents about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of which explained American wartime abuses.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/julian-assange-is-free-wikileaks-confirms-its-founder-is-flying-home-to-australia-734790">Julian Assange is free: WikiLeaks confirms its founder is flying home to Australia</a>

In the same year, WikiLeaks published a massive batch of secret US diplomatic cable which showed that Washington spied on the United Nations leaders and that Saudi Arabia pressured the US to attack Iran.&nbsp;

In November that year, a prosecutor in Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault accusations involving two women. Assange denied the claims, saying they had consensual sex. He reports to police in London and is arrested. A week later he is released on bail.

2012: Ecuador embassy refuge

In February 2011, a judge in Britain ruled for Assange's extradition to Sweden. Assange appeals the ruling. In June 2012, he takes refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Ecuador under the left-wing president Rafael Correa, grants him asylum. He stays there till April 2019.&nbsp;

2019: Assange arrested, imprisoned

In January 2018, Ecuador, now ruled by conservative President Lenin Moreno, claimed hosting Assange in its London embassy had become "untenable".

In April 2019, British police take Assange from the embassy and arrest him on a US extradition request. In May, he is sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for having breached bail in 2010. The legal process for his extradition to the US begins.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-julian-assange-a-cyberpunk-or-reckless-publisher-of-classified-information-734812">Who is Julian Assange, a 'cyberpunk' or reckless publisher of classified information?</a>

In May 2019, the US Justice Department charges Assange with violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010.&nbsp;

2020: Assange lawyers say Trump promised him presidential pardon

In February 2020 court hearings, Assange's lawyers claim then US president Donald Trump had promised him a pardon if he denied Russia had leaked him damaging emails about Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

2021: Legal victory and setback

A London court blocked his extradition in January 2021, on the grounds he would be a suicide risk if sent to the US. The verdict is overturned by a High Court.&nbsp;

2022: Permission to appeal

Judges in January 2022 granted Assange permission to appeal the extradition. But in March, the UK Supreme Court refuses to hear the challenge.&nbsp;

On June 17, 2022, the British government approves his extradition but it is challenged in courts.

2024: Plea deal and release

Assange agrees to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information, according to US court documents released on Monday (June 24) night.

Also watch |&nbsp;WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to plead guilty in espionage act case in US court

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WikiLeaks says "Julian Assange is free," writing on X that he has left prison and flown out of Britain after being granted bail by a high court judge. Assange is reportedly now flying to Australia.

Assange is scheduled to appear Wednesday morning local time at a court in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific, close to his native Australia.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to revealing military secrets in exchange for his release from prison, ending years of legal wrangling that shaped global debate around free speech starting the 2010s.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to plead guilty to revealing military secrets in exchange for his release from prison, ending years of legal wrangling that shaped global debate around free speech starting the 2010s. Here is a timeline of events. 2010: Assault charges In July 2010, Assange's whistleblowing website WikiLeaks began publishing hundreds of thousands of leaked US military documents about wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of which explained American wartime abuses. Also read | Julian Assange is free: WikiLeaks confirms its founder is flying home to Australia In the same year, WikiLeaks published a massive batch of secret US diplomatic cable which showed that Washington spied on the United Nations leaders and that Saudi Arabia pressured the US to attack Iran. In November that year, a prosecutor in Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange over sexual assault accusations involving two women. Assange denied the claims, saying they had consensual sex. He reports to police in London and is arrested. A week later he is released on bail. 2012: Ecuador embassy refuge In February 2011, a judge in Britain ruled for Assange's extradition to Sweden. Assange appeals the ruling. In June 2012, he takes refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Ecuador under the left-wing president Rafael Correa, grants him asylum. He stays there till April 2019. 2019: Assange arrested, imprisoned In January 2018, Ecuador, now ruled by conservative President Lenin Moreno, claimed hosting Assange in its London embassy had become "untenable". In April 2019, British police take Assange from the embassy and arrest him on a US extradition request. In May, he is sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for having breached bail in 2010. The legal process for his extradition to the US begins. Also read | Who is Julian Assange, a 'cyberpunk' or reckless publisher of classified information? In May 2019, the US Justice Department charges Assange with violating the US Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010. 2020: Assange lawyers say Trump promised him presidential pardon In February 2020 court hearings, Assange's lawyers claim then US president Donald Trump had promised him a pardon if he denied Russia had leaked him damaging emails about Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 presidential election. 2021: Legal victory and setback A London court blocked his extradition in January 2021, on the grounds he would be a suicide risk if sent to the US. The verdict is overturned by a High Court. 2022: Permission to appeal Judges in January 2022 granted Assange permission to appeal the extradition. But in March, the UK Supreme Court refuses to hear the challenge. On June 17, 2022, the British government approves his extradition but it is challenged in courts. 2024: Plea deal and release Assange agrees to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information, according to US court documents released on Monday (June 24) night. Also watch | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to plead guilty in espionage act case in US court × WikiLeaks says "Julian Assange is free," writing on X that he has left prison and flown out of Britain after being granted bail by a high court judge. Assange is reportedly now flying to Australia. Assange is scheduled to appear Wednesday morning local time at a court in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the Pacific, close to his native Australia.

Julian Assange released: Timeline of WikiLeaks founder's road to freedom

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Who is Julian Assange, a 'cyberpunk' or reckless publisher of classified information?

Julian Assange released: Timeline of WikiLeaks founder's road to freedom