00:00Free man, Mr. Assange.
00:03Congratulations!
00:04How do you feel about the sentence, sir?
00:12Today is a historic day.
00:14It brings to an end 14 years of legal battles.
00:18And finally, after 14 years of legal battles, Julian Assange can go home a free man.
00:23This also brings to an end a case which has been recognised as the greatest threat to
00:30the First Amendment in the 21st century.
00:33So it is a huge relief to Julian Assange, to his family, to his friends, to his supporters
00:38and to us and to everyone who believes in free speech around the world that he can now
00:43return home to Australia and be reunited with his family.
00:47I want to take this opportunity to thank the many people who have around the world supported
00:51Julian Assange over these years and who have supported us in defending him.
00:56There has been a global movement behind Julian to protect free speech and it is because of
01:02that global movement of support that today's outcome is possible.
01:07I also want to take time to thank the Australian people and the Australian government for all
01:13of the support that we've received from home in Australia.
01:17In particular, I want to thank our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, for his statesmanship,
01:22his principled leadership and his diplomacy which made this outcome possible.
01:28It was as leader of the opposition, he said, and took a stand for justice and said, enough
01:33is enough, there is nothing to be served by Julian's continued incarceration.
01:38As Prime Minister, he stood true to his word and he did what he needed to do to ensure
01:44Julian's freedom.
01:45He raised it at the highest level, at every opportunity, and when Australian officials
01:50were making outreach to the US, they knew that they were acting with the full authority
01:55of the Prime Minister of Australia.
01:57It was his intention that this be done and we wouldn't be here today without the Prime
02:01Minister of Australia's support, so I want to thank Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
02:05I also want to thank our Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, our Foreign Minister Penny Wong,
02:11and give particular thanks to our US Ambassador and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for his
02:17adept diplomacy and his relentless efforts in Washington that facilitated our negotiations
02:22with the US Government and ensured this outcome.
02:26I also want to thank our High Commissioner in London, Stephen Smith, whose tireless work
02:31enabled us all to be here today.
02:34I think it's also important that we recognise the free speech implications of this case.
02:39Julian has suffered for more than 14 years because of the risk of expedition to the United
02:43States.
02:44He faced 175 years in prison for publishing evidence of war crimes, human rights abuse
02:50and US wrongdoing around the world.
02:54Today he pleaded guilty to an offence for having published information in the public
02:59interest for which he's won journalism awards the world over and been nominated for the
03:03Nobel Peace Prize every year for the past decade.
03:07This sets a dangerous precedent.
03:09This prosecution sets a dangerous precedent that should be of concern to journalists everywhere.
03:14The US is seeking to exercise extra-territorial jurisdiction over all of you without giving
03:19you constitutional free speech protections.
03:22And anyone who cares about free speech and democratic accountability should stand against
03:26it.
03:29But I want to encourage everyone that stood up and fought for Julian to continue to stand
03:34up and fight against this dangerous precedent.
03:37I hope that the fact that we've been able to free Julian Assange today against all the
03:42odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to
03:46all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.
03:50And we encourage everyone who stood to fight for Julian to continue that fight for him
03:56and for all of those others in the hope that we can secure their freedom too.
04:04Julian Assange is a serf.
04:06Julian Assange is a serf.
04:08Julian Assange is a serf.
04:10Julian Assange is a serf.
04:12Julian Assange is a serf.
04:14Julian Assange is a serf.
04:16Julian Assange is a serf.
04:18Julian Assange is a serf.
04:20Julian Assange is a serf.
04:22Julian Assange is a serf.
04:24Julian Assange is a serf.
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