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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Martin Belam (now), Cait Kelly, Natasha May, Emily Wind and Helen Sullivan (earlier)

Julian Assange: Stella Assange says WikiLeaks founder needs time to ‘let our family be a family’ before speaking publicly – as it happened

Julian Assange Stella Assange United States Wikileaks Justice Department Saipan Jennifer Robinson Australia The United States Chelsea Manning

Summary of the day …

  • Julian Assange has arrived in Canberra, after being released from prison in the UK on Monday, and then pleading guilty to violating US espionage law at a court in the US Pacific island territory of Saipan on Wednesday morning. The deal left him free to return home to Australia and brought an end to an extraordinary 14-year legal saga

  • Assange and the US government agreed he would admit guilt to one criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence documents. He was sentenced to time served, with no supervisory period or financial penalty, due to time already served in Belmarsh prison in London. He flew out of Saipan

  • Speaking to reporters outside the Saipan court, his lawyers called the prosecution “unprecedented” and an assault on free speech, but said it was time the fight came to an end. Assange spent five years in the high-security jail and seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, battling extradition to the US, where he faced 18 criminal charges

  • Assange needs time to recover after his 14-year legal saga, his wife, Stella, said, following his arrival back in Australia. “Julian needs time to recover. To get used to freedoms. Someone told me yesterday who had been through something similar, that freedom comes slowly,” she said in front of a packed room of reporters. “And I want Julian to have that space to rediscover freedom, slowly. And quickly”

  • Assange’s lawyer Barry Pollack thanked the former Australia prime minister, Kevin Rudd, who now serves as the Australian ambassador to the US, along with the serving prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Robinson said she had become “very emotional” upon landing in Australia, and that Albanese had been the first to speak with Assange over the phone

  • Albanese had taken up the issue with the US president, Joe Biden. “This is what standing up for Australians around the world looks like,” Albanese said

  • Stella Assange asked supporters for help covering the “massive USD 520,000 debt” to the Australian government for the chartered flight as he was not allowed to fly on commercial airlines to Saipan and onward to Australia

Here is reminder of Stella Assange speaking to the media earlier today after her husband arrived in Australia.

Julian Assange’s UK solicitor Gareth Peirce has said the case had “exposed major fault lines” in human rights protections in both the US and UK, PA Media reports.

In a statement, she said:

Watching with relief Julian Assange’s safe return to Australia, sincerely hoping the harshness and the scars of the past 12 years will gradually fade for him, understanding of the whole history of his case should not.

It has exposed major fault lines – not just within the UK/US extradition process itself, but in respect of human rights protections in both countries previously believed to be absolute.

The responsibility for addressing their manifestation in one extraordinary experience demands a continued commitment even though the legal case, happily, has now ended.

Our picture desk have put together a gallery of some of the images of Julian Assange’s return to Australia, which you can find here …

On social media the official WikiLeaks account has been emphasising Stella Assange’s message that her husband needs time to rest and recuperate, but remains committed to campaigning on human rights issues. It quotes her saying earlier:

Julian has to recover – that’s the priority. Julian will always defend human rights. He will always defend victims. He’s always done that. And that’s just part of who he is. He’s deeply principled. And he remains deeply principled. And unafraid.

Here are some of the pictures of Julian Assange’s arrival in Australia as a free man.

Summary:

If you’re just joining us, here’s what has just happened:

  • Julian Assange has landed in Australia. Assange punched the air, held his fist up and kissed his wife Stella Assange as he made his way across the tarmac.

  • Shortly after Assange’s arrival, the PM addressed the media from Parliament House, saying he had spoken to Assange on the phone and welcomed him back to Australia.

  • Supporters gathered at the East Hotel in Canberra, where Stella Assange and lawyers Jennifer Robinson and Barry Pollock addressed media. Robinson said Assange had told the PM that he had “saved his life”.

  • Stella Assange thanked everyone who helped and supported the campaign and asked for their privacy to “let our family be a family”.

Updated

Some supporters in attendance tonight have helped campaign for Assange’s release for years.

Katherine Kelly, who is a member of Alliance for Political Prosecutions, said Assange’s release “meant so much…a week ago I would have never seen this happening”.

“This has been a gargantuan fight for truth, for press freedom and for justice...it’s just fantastic, I feel like crying,” she said.

Updated

When asked if Julian Assange will speak in the coming days, Stella says “no comment”.

She has also been asked if WikiLeaks will continue to publish leaked papers:

Look, he just arrived in Australia after being in a high security prison for over five years and... A 72-hour flight here or something like that. It’s premature.

Julian has to recover – that’s the priority. And the fact that Julian will always defend human rights, will always defend victims. He’s always done that. And that’s just part of who he is.

He’s deeply principled. And he remains deeply principled. And unafraid.

Updated

Stella:

I think that he will be pardoned if the press unite to push back against this precedent. Because it affects all of you. It affects your future ability to warn the public and to publish without fear.

Stella Assange says freedom of the press is in a “dangerous place” and the US should have dropped the case against Julian Assange.

That would have been the only good outcome for the press in general if the US government had abandoned this case entirely. Now, you have... You have the press in … as vulnerable a position as Julian has been.

Updated

Stella Assange has been asked if she would like to see Julian Assange pardoned. She said today they are celebrating his release, but he should be pardoned.

That precedent now can and will be used in the future against the rest of the press. So it is in the interest of all of the press to seek for this current state of affairs to change through reform of the Espionage Act.

Through increased press protections, and yes, eventually when time comes – not today – a pardon.

Updated

Robinson was asked about the DNC email leaks – where WikiLeaks leaked emails from Democrat staff, causing harm to the Clinton campaign.

There’s clearly public interest in the DNC materials released by WikiLeaks and in terms of the legality of the publications, there’s a US court decision showing that it had the highest possible protection of the first amendment.

So for a principle point of view, people might not like the politics of any particular publication, but that publication is absolutely protected by the first amendment as the US courts have found.

Updated

His wife Stella has been asked about what it was like seeing him – she says she can’t put it into words.

We embraced and I mean, I think you’ve seen the pictures. I don’t want to express in words what is obvious from the image.

And she asked for privacy…

Julian needs time to recover. To get used to freedoms. Someone told me yesterday who had been through something similar, that freedom comes slowly. And I want Julian to have that space to rediscover freedom, slowly. And quickly.

Updated

Robinson has been asked about the argument that Assange put lives at risk and that what he published wasn’t in the public interest:

Well, to start with – there’s no evidence of any actual harm. And that’s exactly what the US government acknowledged in court today in Saipan.

The public interest in those publications is clear. Evidence of war crimes, that the US had not disclosed the extent of civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. The use of torture and other forms of human rights abuse around the world.

The fact that Julian has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize every year. So to suggest that this was not in the public interest – I don’t understand the basis in which they could possibly suggest that.

Updated

Stella Assange says the case was an attack on journalism and the public’s right to know.

I think it’s important to recognise that Julian’s release and the breakthrough in the negotiations came at a time when there had been a breakthrough in the legal case in the UK, in the extradition, where the High Court had allowed permission to appeal.

There was a court date set for the 9th and 10th of July - an upcoming court date in which Julian would be able to raise the first amendment argument at the high court. And it is in this context that things finally started to move.

I think that it revealed ... how uncomfortable United States government is, in fact, of having these arguments aired, because this case – the fact is that this case is an attack on journalism.

Updated

Stella Assange: 'let our family be a family'

Stella Assange is choking up, she says her family needs space and privacy.

Julian wanted me to sincerely thank everyone. He wanted to be here. But you have to understand what he’s been through. He needs time. He needs to recuperate. And this is a process. I ask you – please – to give us space, to give us privacy. To find our place.

To let our family be a family before he can speak again at a time of his choosing.

Updated

Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, is speaking now. She is thanking everyone who helped and supported the campaign to free Julian Assange.

I wish to thank prime minister Albanese, the officials who have been working in DFAT on securing Julian’s release.

I’d also like to thank the Australian people who have made this possible, because without their support, there would not be the political space to be able to achieve Julian’s freedom. And that support is across-the-board. I thank the opposition for also supporting Julian’s release.

It took all of them, all of them... It took millions of people. It took people working behind the scenes, the people protesting on the streets for days and weeks and months and years.

And we achieved it.

Updated

OK, now lawyer Barry Pollock (one of the leading trial lawyers in the US) is up and he is talking about the plea deal. He says the prosecution should never had been brought.

It was definitely in the public’s interest to have this information and Julian provided it to the public. He performed a tremendous public service. There is no First Amendment defence in the Espionage Act.

It does by its terms, not matter the reason why you publish. For years, the US government has claimed that these publications did great harm.

Today in court, the United States government admitted that there is not a single person anywhere that they could produce that was actually harmed by these publications.

Updated

Robinson:

Julian is incredibly grateful for the support that he’s had from the Australian government and from the public here in Australia. And we’re delighted that he’s home.

He’s finally home.

Updated

Robinson has thanked the PM, Kevin Rudd, his legal team including Barry Pollack, Stephen Smith, embassy staff and others:

That Julian came home today is the product of 14 long years of legal battles, political advocacy and ongoing campaigning - not just by us, but by so many people in this community.

A global movement was created around Julian and need to protect free speech and it is that global movement that led to his release today.

I really want to thank everyone who has joined us in this fight, who have supported us along the way, because without that support and the campaigning that’s been done, we just wouldn’t be in this position.

Assange told Albanese that Australian PM had 'saved his life'

Robinson said Assange told the PM he ‘saved his life’:

We are absolutely thrilled that Julian is now home in Australia.

I can say when we landed here in Australia, I became very emotional at the moment that we landed and the prime minister was the first person to get on the phone to speak to Julian.

Julian thanked him and the team and told the prime minister that he had saved his life. And I don’t think that that is an exaggeration.

Updated

Robinson:

And while the plea deal does not set a decision, the prosecution itself sets a precedent that can be used against the rest of the media.

It’s important that journalists all around the world understand the dangerous precedent that this prosecution has set.

An award-winning Australian journalist who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize prize for the publications has spent more than five years in a high security prison because of this extradition from the United States.

Updated

Robinson:

The agreement is that he will spend no more time in prison. The terms of the plea deal are, unfortunately, that he, in order to achieve his freedom and to leave the high-security prison in Belmarsh, he had to choose to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit espionage for publishing evidence of US war crimes, human rights abuse.

Updated

Lawyer Jennifer Robinson is up. She says:

It started two days ago. Julian was released from jail in the UK early on Monday morning UK time. We had to spend 12 hours in Stansted airport before we boarded a flight to Bangkok. Another eight or nine hours to Bangkok before Julian entered his plea.

Updated

We are expecting Assange’s wife Stella Assange and his legal team to address supporters in Canberra any minute now.

Updated

Greens Senator David Shoebridge has come to the East Hotel in Canberra, where Assange’s family members are expected to speak shortly.

He said Assange’s freedom was “pretty extraordinary...it’s one of those campaigns where you’re never quite sure when it ends”.

Updated

The PM posted this photo of himself on the phone to Julian Assange earlier this evening:

Updated

We’re at the East Hotel in Canberra’s Kingston – just a six-minute drive from Parliament House. It’s also where the Assange family is holding a media conference at 9.15pm.

We’re told Julian Assange won’t be attending but it’s expected his wife, Stella, and family will be there.

Supporters are out the front with “free Assange” banners and signs urging the government to fix whistleblower protection.

A few federal politicians around are milling around but it’s hard to tell who is here for a regular Wednesday night beverage (this is a favourite haunt for politicians and staffers) and who’s here in support.

Updated

For some Assange is a hero, for others a threat. Here we explain how Assange became a divisive character and what the details are of his plea deal:

Updated

Albanese says Assange was grateful for the help of the government:

I’ve never met Mr Assange. I had a very warm discussion with him this evening, though he was very generous in his praise of the Australian government’s efforts. The Australian government stands up for Australian citizens. That’s what we do.

Anthony Albanese says Australian government did ‘exactly the right thing’ to secure Assange’s release

The PM has said he supported Assange because he believes in supporting Australian citizens.

I made it clear from the beginning I had the same position as opposition leader on all of these issues, as I’ve had as prime minister. As prime minister of Australia, you have an opportunity to make a difference.

….

Some people have been very critical that we weren’t doing enough. What we were doing was exactly the right thing to achieve an outcome. I’m an an outcomes-based politician. I believe in making a difference. We can make a difference.

Updated

Albanese said this has been building for a long time:

You know, there are there are steps. It required a plea deal requires a two-sided agreement between the Department of Justice and Julian Assange.

It requires, in this case, Mr Assange, to receive advice from his legal team. And we have been in, in contact with his legal team over a period.

The PM said he called Assange as soon as he touched down:

I was pleased to speak with him … immediately upon the wheels touching the ground. I was quite pleased to be the first person here who he spoke with, which was … mutually worked out that would occur.

Updated

The PM has been asked about how the release played out:

It played out over a long period of time. I’ve said that I have raised it at, uh, every opportunity at the highest level. I know that I’ve received a message from the US ambassador here that they are also pleased that this has been resolved.

The first time I raised it was with President Biden at the Nato summit in Madrid. I raised it also with other … senior members of the US administration. But this was always the case to be very clear that because of the separation between the, uh, political representatives and the judiciary, this was always going to be something that required, discussion patient with the Department of Justice and certainly over that period of time, there has been an issue as well.

I’ve exchanged very directly with Mr Assange’s lawyers, as have our diplomatic representatives and Mr Assange’s lawyers have been very determined to achieve an outcome.

Updated

We are onto questions, and the PM has been asked if he thinks Assange was a journalist wrongly imprisoned.

There was no purpose to be served by this ongoing incarceration. And can I say that when I spoke with Mr Assange tonight, he described it as a surreal and happy moment. He’s landing here in our national capital, Canberra.

He expressed his thanks to what he described as the diplomatic A-Team.

The PM said he understands there are a range of views on Assange. He thanks the ambassador, Kevin Rudd, and the high commissioner, Stephen Smith – and makes it clear they’ll meet about other things in the coming days.

They worked with his legal team to facilitate a very smooth journey. This is the culmination of careful, patient and determined advocacy work that I am very proud of.

It is yet another example of why mature, calibrated, and consistent engagement with our partners is the best way to get results in Australia’s national interest.

Updated

Albanese says he has spoken to Assange earlier tonight, welcoming him home:

Earlier tonight, I was pleased to speak with Mr Assange to welcome him home. And had the opportunity to ask about his health and to have my first discussion with him.

His safe return to Australia, we know, means so much to his family. His wife Stella, his children, who he is looking forward to playing with like any dad and his parents, Christine and John.

Updated

The PM:

Earlier tonight – but you probably knew this – Julian Assange was reunited with his family here in Australia.

He’s arrival home, ends a long-running legal process, a plea agreement between Mr Assange and the United States states Department of Justice was accepted by a US court in Saipan earlier today.

I do want to express my appreciation to the United States and the United Kingdom for their efforts in making this possible.

Updated

And the PM is talking now

And we’ve got vision here from Sarah who is on the ground:

Assange has entered the RAAF base and through the window, you can see he is embracing his wife, Stella.

Updated

As Julian Assange descends the private jet, a flurry of cheers and applause among his supporters braving the cold breaks out.

He puts his fist up to his supporters and waves as he crosses the tarmac.

Cheers of “we love you Julian” and “welcome home” are heard as he embraces his wife.

Updated

And he is out of the plane! Assange raised his fist before descending down the stairs. His feet have hit Australian soil.

This will be a big moment for so many people – his family members and supporters, a range of MPs from across the political spectrum and the Australian journalists’ union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, which has advocated for his freedom.

Updated

After a flight lasting 6 hours and 36 minutes, Julian Assange has landed.

The plane has just pulled up and there looks to be two men waiting at the base of the stairs. His family are expected to meet him on the tarmac.

Julian Assange lands in Canberra

And touch down! The plane carrying Julian Assange has landed in Australia, bringing a 14-year-old legal ordeal to an end.

We’ve got more to come – but now, we can say he is home.

Updated

There’s more than 50 people waiting at Canberra airport for the arrival of Julian Assange, who is due to land any minute.

It’s 8 degrees celsius outside and media teams from around the country and world are here to get their first glimpse of him touching down on Australian soil.

It will only be a momentary glimpse, and one from a great distance. The tarmac is usually reserved for defence VIP flights and is separated from the main public airport.

Media and supporters of Assange are waiting by a fence near a carpark overlooking the tarmac.

Updated

Julian Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton, has been speaking on the ABC:

Pretty exciting moment. We’ve been working on this for so long. And to finally, you know, it’s only a few minutes away.

It’s just, uh.. hard to describe … hard to hard to describe the emotion that we’re going through at the moment.

Updated

The jet is expected to touch down in about 15 minutes and the ABC’s Monte Bovill has just shared this picture of reporters gathering:

Updated

With less than 50 minutes to go, here is some political reaction from earlier today:

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said he was satisfied with what his government had achieved for Assange:

Assange’s case has dragged on for too long. I have said repeatedly that there was nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration.

The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, said the US was grateful to the Australian government for its commitment and assistance throughout the process:

The return of Julian Assange to Australia brings this longstanding and difficult case to a close.

The Australian opposition finance spokesperson, Jane Hume, said Assange was “no hero” of hers, but welcomed his return:

He put lives in danger, not just of counter-intelligence agents in the US but also of innocent and helpful Iraqi and Afghan citizens who were helping coalition forces.

Updated

WikiLeaks has shared another image of Julian Assange on the plane – this time he is on the phone to his wife, Stella.

“Can’t wait to touch down,” those were the words Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson used on X.

And the time is almost upon us – less than 50 minutes to go.

Updated

Now, some of you will remember that former foreign minister Alexander Downer was never a huge fan of Assange.

He was asked on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing earlier if he thought justice had been served. He said it had, “in a way”, before adding:

After all, Julian Assange has spent a long time in Belmarsh prison in London and that has all been tied up with the legal processes relating to the extradition. He’s now entered into a plea bargain.

He’s admitted his guilt. What he did was a terrible thing. There’s no doubt about that, and it caused huge anxiety and damage and also endangered the lives of people. So, he has paid a price for that.

There’s no doubt about that. And this is a way of bringing the saga to an end, which, I think, is on the whole, quite appropriate.

The WikiLeaks founder’s release was the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes diplomatic lobbying – involving the Australian PM, a Kennedy and a lot of homegrown support.

Dan Hurst has the full story on how Assange’s release was won:

Updated

OK, the details are still sparse about whether Assange himself will be addressing the media at 9:15 pm tonight.

I think it will be ‘watch and see’ – we will be here to blog it and we have Sarah Basford Canales, Sharlotte Thou and Mike Bowers on the ground to bring you updates and pictures.

The plane is now over mainland Australia and has under two hours until it lands.

Updated

Please forgive my poor-quality crop – but I wanted to share with you images from Jennifer Robinson’s Instagram.

Robinson is Assange’s lawyer, a friend of the PM, and has been dubbed ‘the A-list’s go-to lawyer’ in the UK, and advised Amber Heard (among a longer, more impressive list of other things).

She is currently on the plane with Assange, and posted these:

Updated

Good evening everyone – this is Cait, I am going to be with you on the blog – bringing you the news as Assange lands and (fingers crossed) addresses the media later this evening.

It’s going to be a big night! First up, I want to bring you some reactions from X (normally a bin fire, but there are some exceptions) – where news about Assange has been trending.

Assange’s brother everyone:

MP Spender:

MP Steggall:

Updated

Thanks for reading, handing over to Cait Kelly who will be with you as we await Julian Assange touching down on home soil in Australia.

Stella Assange says her husband will owe over half a million US dollars to the Australian government for the chartered flight, as he was not allowed to fly on commercial airlines to Saipan and onward to Australia.

She took to X, formerly Twitter, to appeal for donations:

Julian’s travel to freedom comes at a massive cost: Julian will owe USD 520,000 which he is obligated to pay back to the Australian government for charter Flight VJ199.

He was not permitted to fly commercial airlines or routes to Saipan and onward to Australia.

She also shared her emotions on seeing her husband walk out of the court a free man:

Updated

If you want to read more about the extraordinary final chapter of Assange’s legal battle, our correspondent Helen Davidson tells you what it was like this morning inside the wood-panelled courthouse at the foot of a lush hillside on the Saipan coast:

Updated

Many thanks for being with me on the blog today. There’s still plenty to come, and Natasha May will be here to guide you through our rolling coverage.

Checking in with Julian Assange’s flight to Australia – the WikiLeaks founder is set to land in Canberra about 7.40pm local time, in just over four hours.

As we flagged earlier, WikiLeaks will be giving a press conference in Canberra at 9.15pm local time.

In case you missed it, here is a video of the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, addressing the parliament about Julian Assange just earlier:

Assange is ‘no hero', opposition says

Australia’s opposition spokesman for home affairs, James Paterson, says WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be worshipped following today’s outcome. He told Sky News:

Julian Assange is no hero, but it is a welcome thing that this has finally come to an end.

The reason why it’s gone on for a long time is that he was evading lawful extradition requests. It is a credit to the United States that they are showing such leniency towards someone accused of such a serious crime.

This follows similar comments from his opposition colleague Jane Hume, who said Assange was “no hero” of hers but that she welcomed his return:

We’re very pleased to see him returned to Australia, but I don’t think that hero-worship is an appropriate response.

- with AAP

Updated

WikiLeaks has shared an image of what appears to be Julian Assange hugging his lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, with Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd, in the background.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese says that the US ambassador, Kevin Rudd, and UK high commissioner, Stephen Smith, are travelling to Australia with Assange.

The pair were with him in court today to provide support.

Albanese told the Australian parliament:

I thank them for their work and others at the respective embassy and high commission for helping us reach this conclusion. This work has been complex and it has been considered …

I am very pleased that on this occasion, this has been a successful outcome that I believe overwhelmingly Australians did want to see – as I said, they will have different views about the engagement and the activities of Mr Assange – but they will be pleased that this saga has been brought to an end and he will be able to reunite with his family.

Updated

Anthony Albanese addresses parliament about Assange case

The Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese is currently addressing the parliament following the outcome of the Julian Assange case. He says:

Regardless of your views about his activities – and they will be varied – Mr Assange’s case has dragged on for too long. I have said repeatedly that there was nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration. I am pleased that he is on his way home to Australia to reunite with his family here.

Over the two years since we took office my government has engaged and advocated, including at leader level, to resolve this. We have used all appropriate channels [and] this outcome has been the product of careful, patient and determined work.

The Australian government continues to provide consular assistance to Mr Assange as he returns home.

Updated

WikiLeaks to hold press conference in Canberra tonight

WikiLeaks says it will hold a press conference in Canberra, Australia later tonight.

In a post to X, it said the press conference will be held at 9.15pm local time, in Kingston, ACT. (This is about seven hours from now).

WikiLeaks has not specified who will front the press conference, but Julian Assange is currently en route to Canberra and is due to arrive later tonight.

Updated

US ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcome

The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has issued this statement following the outcome of the Assange case:

The return of Julian Assange to Australia brings this longstanding and difficult case to a close. The United States is grateful to the government of Australia for their commitment and assistance throughout this process.

Updated

Australian independent MP Andrew Wilkie also said that today’s outcome has set an “alarming precedent” – the “charging and conviction of a journalist for doing their job”.

He told reporters that this is “the sort of thing we would expect in an authoritarian or totalitarian country, [not] from the United States or a similar country like Australia.”

I think it sends a chill down the spine of journalists worldwide that this precedent has been set, and it means that there is more work to do to push for media freedom and protections for journalists so that they can do their job.

Updated

Australian co-chair of parliamentary support group for Assange welcomes outcome

Earlier, Australian independent MP Andrew Wilkie addressed the media about his years of advocacy for Julian Assange.

Wilkie is co-chair of the Australian parliamentary group in support of Assange, and has twice travelled to London to support him.

He successfully introduced a motion to the Australian parliament in February – which received 86 votes in favour and 42 against – urging the US and UK to allow Assange to return home.

Here is what Wilkie had to say:

For many years, a series of Australian governments were either disinterested in Julian Assange or downright hostile. It is pleasing that this government was the government, finally, that listened to the community and took up the challenge and did a lot, a real lot, of difficult, quiet, behind-the-scenes work with foreign governments to bring about today.

I would also like to acknowledge the millions of people, right around the world, who have rallied for Julian for years – for the years that he had been at Belmarsh prison and the seven years in Ecuadorian embassy before that. Today is their day as much as it is … any politicians in this country. I acknowledge them.

Updated

In case you’re just joining us, here is what Assange’s US lawyer Barry Pollack had to say outside court in Saipan following today’s hearing:

Pollack said Assange “cannot and should not be silenced” and that his prosecution “has a chilling effect”.

Peter Greste: Assange will face ‘very, very difficult transition’ back into life after imprisonment

Australian journalist and former Al Jazeera correspondent Peter Greste, who spent 13 months in an Egyptian jail, predicts Julian Assange will face a “very, very difficult transition” back into normal life.

Greste spoke with ABC News earlier, and reflected on his own time in prison:

I think [Assange is] going to be feeling really quite discombobulated. There’s a mix of joy and elation. A certain degree of disconnection. I only spent 400 days in prison, Julian has spent closer to 13 years. His experience has been far more odious than anything I went through.

But I also know just how strange it was to go from incarceration, which is designed to mess with your head, fundamentally it’s a form of psychological torture, and so you can’t go through that experience – particularly with the degree of uncertainty that Julian has experienced in this whole ordeal – and then come out the other side and just pop straight back into normal life as if nothing had happened. It’s going to be a very, very difficult transition for him.

Updated

Australian independent politicians welcome outcome of Assange case

Some of Australia’s independent politicians have reacted to the outcome of the Julian Assange case, welcoming him home as he is en route to Canberra – the nation’s capital.

The member for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, wrote on X that Assange was “Free at last!”.

A 14-year ordeal for Julian Assange for revealing the truth is finally over. Welcome home Julian.

Meanwhile the member for Indi, Helen Haines, wrote:

Like the many people who have written to me in support of Julian, I have long called for an end to his incarceration and to bring him home to Australia.

Julian’s family have been steadfast in their advocacy for him. This day is as much for them as it is for Julian.

The Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender, also weighed in, stating that “whatever your view, this case dragged on too long”.

I welcome the release of Julian Assange … Journalism and publishing must not be criminalised. Julian Assange has spent far too long in prison. His crime was publishing truthful information in the public interest.

Updated

Supporters have gathered outside the US consulate general in Sydney to celebrate the outcome of today’s hearing, and Julian Assange’s imminent return to Australia.

Here’s some footage from our video team of the moment Julian Assange left the Saipan court as a free man.

He gave a quick wave to those gathered before getting into a vehicle, but did not appear to say anything.

This is Emily Wind, back with you on the blog for the next few hours.

Here is a picture of Assange’s airborne plane:

Updated

Plane carrying Assange takes off in Saipan

Julian Assange has left Saipan a free man, on a plane bound for Canberra, Australia. He is expected to arrive at around 7.30pm local time.

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Here is the video of that address moments before Assange walked free by Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson.

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Summary

Here are the key developments in the Julian Assange hearing today:

  • Court has adjourned in Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony charge for publishing US military secrets. He was sentenced by Judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He has left the court a free man, and is on his way to his native Australia.

  • The judge said, “It appears your 62 months … was fair and reasonable and proportionate to [Chelsea] Manning’s actual prison time.” WikiLeaks published classified documents obtained by Manning.

  • The plea was part of a deal struck with the US justice department that was expected to secure his freedom. It ends the almost 14-year-long pursuit of the publisher by the US.

  • The plea was entered Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific. Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London via Bangkok, arrived at court shortly before the hearing was to begin, wearing a dark suit with a tie loosened at the collar. He did not want to face a hearing on the US mainland, which, along with its proximity to Australia, is why Saipan was chosen for the hearing.

  • Following the sentencing, the US Department of Justice released a lengthy statement saying that Assange would not be allowed back into the US. It said, “Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”

  • Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.

  • Assange departed from the court straight to the airport in Saipan, where he is expected to board a flight for Canberra, Australia.

  • Assange was accompanied in the court Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and Australian high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. He was greeted by foreign and local media, but did not stop to speak to the gathered press despite the questions being shouted at him.

  • Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, addressed the media after the sentencing, saying: “I hope that the fact that we have been able to free Julian Assange today against all of the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.”

  • Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, addressed the media saying, “The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange. Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.”

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US Justice Department statement: Assange prohibited from returning to US

The US Justice Department has released a lengthy statement.

What is most immediately striking about it is that it says that, “following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”

Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.

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Assange has arrived at Saipan’s airport and will shortly be boarding a plane bound for Canberra, Australia, the ABC reports.

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Assange reportedly heading back to airport

Assange is on his way to the airport, where he will board a flight to Australia, the ABC reports. WikiLeaks posted on X earlier to say that Assange was expected to take a flight at roughly this time, 12.30pm. It has not departed yet.

This is Helen Sullivan taking the reins for a while – I’ll be bringing you a summary of the key developments this morning shortly.

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Here are some photos of Julian Assange leaving the Saipan courtroom just a few minutes ago:

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Assange leaves the courtroom

Julian Assange has just left the courtroom to applause and a huge media scrum. He gave a quick wave to those gathered before getting into a vehicle, but did not appear to say anything.

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Members of Julian Assange’s legal team, Barry Pollack and Jennifer Robinson, have finished addressing the media outside of court.

Jennifer Robinson concluded:

This sets a dangerous precedent, this prosecution sets a dangerous precedent, that should be of concern to journalist everywhere.

The US is seeking to exercise extraterrestrial jurisdiction over all of you without giving you constitutional free speech protections, and anyone who cares about free speech and democratic accountability should stand against it …

I hope that the fact that we have been able to free Julian Assange today against all of the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world, and we encourage everyone who stood to fight for Julian to continue the fight for him, and for all of those others in the hope that we can secure their future freedom too.

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You can watch the press conference live below:

Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, is now addressing the media.

She says it’s a historic day and finally after 14 days he can go home a free man.

She thanks his supporters around the world and noted a “global movement behind Julian to protect free speech.” She then turned to thank the Australian government:

In particular, I want to thank our prime minister Anthony Albanese for his statesmanship, his principled leadership and his diplomacy, which made this outcome possible … He raised at the highest level, at every opportunity, and when Australian officials were making outreach to the US, they knew that they were acting with the full authority of the prime minister of Australia…

I also want to thank our attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, our foreign minister Penny Wong and give particular thanks to our US ambassador and former prime minister Kevin Rudd for his adept diplomacy and his relentless efforts in Washington that facilitated our negotiations with US government and this outcome.

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He won’t answer how long it took to get this deal.

62 months in Belmarsh.

Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, continued:

What set a chilling precedent is the prosecution … The court today determined no harm was caused by his publication. We know that they were newsworthy, we know that they were quoted by every major news outlet on the planet and we know that they revealed important information. That is called journalism.

That is what has a chilling effect … the United States pursuing journalism as a crime. I hope this is the first and last time this ever occurs.

Assange’s lawyer said that the work of WikiLeaks will continue “and Mr Assange, I have no doubt, will be a continuing force for freedom of speech and transparency in government.”

He is a powerful voice and a voice that cannot and should not be silenced.

Assange's lawyer addresses the media

Julian Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, is now addressing the media outside the court:

The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange.

Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.

We firmly believe that Mr Assange never should have been charged under the espionage act and engaged in [an] exercise that journalists engage in everyday and we are thankful that they do. … It is appropriate for the judge, as she did today, to determine that no additional incarceration of Mr Assange would be fair, appropriate, and it is time for him to be reunited with his family.

Mr Assange is grateful for all of the support that he has received and looks forward to reuniting with his wife and his children and getting back home to Australia.

He said that Assange would not be taking questions.

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The media are now waiting outside the court for a potential press conference – we’ll bring you the latest as soon as we can.

Julian Assange had supporters come up to him in court.

One thanked him and asked him to sign a book. I couldn’t see the title, but the inscription read: “with love”.

Court is adjourned

Julian Assange tightens his tie, and holds his glasses in his hand as Judge Manglona goes through some final formalities.

With that ... Mr Assange, it’s apparently an early happy birthday to you, I understand your birthday is next week. I hope you will start your new life in a positive manner.

Court is adjourned.

Assange hugs his team and shakes hands with McKenzie and Anderson. He is tearing up.

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US barristers in the UK withdrawing extradition request

McKenzie says US barristers in the UK are “forthwith” withdrawing their extradition request for Assange.

Judge Manglona again checks he understands all the details of the agreement.

Julian Assange, a little hoarse, replies: “I do.”

Judge says Assange will walk from Saipan courtroom a free man

“With this pronouncement it appears you will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man. I hope there will be some peace restored,” Judge Manglona says, noting the island of Saipan was this week celebrating 80 years of its own freedom.

Now there is some peace, you need to restore with yourself when you walk out and pursue your life as a free man.

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Assange emotional as judge declares: 'this case ends with me here in Saipan'

Julian Assange appears to be a little emotional. He nods as Judge Manglona says, “it appears this case ends with me here in Saipan”.

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Judge not imposing any period of supervised release

Judge Manglona:

For these reasons ... on the basis of this very serious espionage case against you ... I am in fact sentencing you to a period of time served.

I am not imposing any period of supervised release.

Judge acknowledges Assange's '14-year ordeal'

“You stand before me to be sentenced in this criminal action,” Judge Manglona says.

I would note the following: Timing matters. If this case was brought before me some time near 2012, without the benefit of what I know now, that you served a period of imprisonment ... in apparently one of the harshest facilities in the United Kingdom.

There’s another significant fact – the government has indicated there is no personal victim here. That tells me the dissemination of this information did not result in any known physical injury.

These two facts are very relevant. I would say if this was still unknown and closer to [2012] I would not be so inclined to accept this plea agreement before me.

“But it’s the year 2024,” she continued, and she also has to consider the case and seven year imprisonment of Chelsea Manning.

It appears your 62 months ... was fair and reasonable and proportionate to Ms Manning’s actual prison time.

She also acknowledges Assange’s “14-year ordeal”.

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There’s a bit of bouncing around here.

Financial aspect of the agreement: Taking in all the information and laws, and the plea agreement, Judge Manglona says a potential fine is in the range of $15,000 to $150,000.

The court hears Assange is unable to pay, and that the agreement recommends not applying a fine. There will be no forfeiture or restitution (as there is no individual victim in this case).

If Assange is released without a term of supervision, “the defendant would effectively be able to be considered free”, says Judge Manglona.

McKenzie, for the US government, says the 62 months in Belmarsh is an “appropriate sentence of time served”.

Assange is being invited up to the lectern directly in front of her, his two counsel standing beside him.

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Assange’s attorney makes the case for no further incarceration

Julian Assange’s attorney tells the court:

We’ll stand on the record in this case. This is an unprecedented prosecution. I think the court is aware Mr Assange has already suffered significant consequences, including ... his time in Belmarsh, and we believe given the guidelines, the lack of criminal history, and the nature of the conduct, that no further incarceration is warranted and time served is appropriate.

Assange declines to make his own statement in addition.

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Assange’s lawyer says he entered the Ecuadorian embassy to seek asylum and remained there under threat of arrest for about seven years. That plus Belmarsh equals about 14 years that “Assange has had restrictions on his liberty”. The US government is only counting the Belmarsh years.

US attorney McKenzie says that’s correct – they are only counting the years after he was arrested in relation to this specific case.

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Sentencing begins

Judge Manglona is speaking about the calculation of sentencing now. There’s a lot of legalese and reading of various provisions and guidelines.

She says Julian Assange is entitled a credit of time served for the entire time he has been imprisoned at Belmarsh, which he entered on 11 April 2019 – serving 62 months – as a direct result of the US government seeking his extradition.

She notes that Assange has described a “14 year ordeal” but she needs to work out how that 14 years applies here (given that most of it was not a formal prison sentence).

The court is back in session, and we are now going forward to the sentencing phase.

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Here's what we know so far

As the court is about to return from its 20 minute break, here is what we know so far:

  • Judge Manglona has accepted Julian Assange’s guilty plea to a US espionage charge.

  • Assange faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. After a sentence is pronounced, the court could still set a probationary period of one to five years.

  • In explaining what he is pleading guilty to, Assange said he “encouraged my source to provide information that was said to be classified in order to publish that information” while working as a journalist.

  • Assange arrived at the Saipan court earlier this morning, supported by Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd, and high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith.

  • Saipan is the largest island and capital of the Mariana islands, a US commonwealth. It was chosen as the location for the hearing because Assange is opposed to travelling to the continental US, and its proximity to his native Australia – roughly 3,000km.

  • The hearing was conducted in front of a full courtroom, where Judge Manglona kept proceedings moving quickly.

  • Assange’s father, John Shipton, said welcomed his imminent return to Australia, saying: “doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels that Julian is [returning] home.”

  • WikiLeaks flagged on X that Assange may depart for Canberra, Australia’s capital, on Flight VJT199 later today.

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Australian PM: 'I will have more to say on Assange case once legal proceedings conclude'

The prime minister of Australia has weighed in on the Julian Assange case at a press conference in Canberra, the nation’s capital, just a moment ago.

Anthony Albanese noted the legal proceedings were still ongoing and said “those proceedings are sensitive and should be respected.” He continued:

This is not something that has happened in the last 24 hours, this is something that has been considered, patient, worked through in a calibrated way, which is how Australia conducts ourselves internationally.

Given those proceedings are happening literally in real-time it is not appropriate to provide further commentary. We have engaged and advocated Australia’s interest using appropriate channels to support the positive outcome, and you would now be aware of the assistance being provided to Mr Assange – including the presence right now of high commissioner [Stephen] Smith as well as ambassador [Kevin] Rudd there as part of providing that support.

I have been very clear as Labor leader and as prime minister that regardless of what your views about Mr Assange’s activities, his case has dragged on for too long. There is nothing to be gained from his continued incarceration and we want him brought home to Australia. That is something I’ve said as Labor leader, something I’ve said as prime minister and is something that I will have more to say about once these legal proceedings have concluded, which I hope will be very soon.

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Here are five things to know about the Northern Mariana Islands, via AFP

1. Closer to Australia

Surrounded by the vast Pacific Ocean, the Northern Mariana Islands is a tiny, remote outpost of the world’s largest economy. Its closest large neighbours are Japan, the Philippines and, most notably in this case, Australia – Julian Assange’s home country, where he will return after the plea deal is completed.

2. US territory

People from the Northern Mariana Islands are US citizens but hold different rights to people from the 50 states – for example, they cannot vote in presidential elections.

3. Wartime history

The archipelago was colonised by Spain in 1668, with war and disease wiping out most of the Indigenous population. The US won Guam in 1898 after the Spanish-American War but sold the neighbouring Northern Mariana Islands to Germany.

The islands were administered in the early 20th century by Japan, which brought in thousands of labourers and invaded Guam from there in the second world war. The United States captured the territory in 1944 in the battle of Saipan.

4. Tropical destination

The islands are dependent on energy imports but have a growing tourist industry, especially from China and South Korea. It is also close to and shares a name with the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in the world’s oceans, which has long fascinated scientists and explorers.

5. Natural disasters

There are 14 islands in the Northern Mariana Islands chain, which runs roughly north-south for about 600km (370 miles). They are dotted with active volcanoes and typhoon season runs from July to January.

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Court taking 20 minute break

It’s 10.47am in Saipan, and the court is taking a 20-minute break.

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Judge accepts Julian Assange's guilty plea

Assange rises.

Judge Manglona speaks to the charge against him: How do you now plead?

Assange: guilty to the information.

Manglona: guilty to the sole charge?

Assange: Yes.

Manglona: It is the finding of this court ... that the plea of guilty is now accepted.

The defendant is found guilty.

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Small error almost uncaught

Judge Manglona asks Julian Assange to rise, but then his lawyer asks quickly to confer with government counsel. Assange leans towards them in an apparent attempt to hear before Robinson grabs him on the arm to speak. Kevin Rudd also leans in for a brief exchange. We can’t hear what they’re saying.

His lawyer says there was a clarification about an agreed edit which didn’t make it into the final draft. It’s about potential breaches of the agreement which could violate it or cause the court to reject it. He wants to make sure that everything there is listed as “intentionally” to avoid any ambiguities.

It’s a small error but one that very nearly wasn’t caught. Both sides agree to do a quick fix now.

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15 minute recess to take place before 'final stage', judge says

Judge Manglona says we’re nearly done with this “change of plea” section, then there will be a 15 minute recess before the “final stage”.

Judge Manglona is again asking Assange to confirm he wishes to plead guilty, be subject to the punishment, and waive rights to an indictment, trial, appeal, statute of limitations and others.

He agrees.

Assange’s actions knowing and deliberate, US attorney says

The actions of the defendant were in all respects knowing and deliberate, US attorney McKenzie says of Julian Assange. He says the details he has laid out are not “all the facts” but ones that are relevant for sentencing purposes.

He doesn’t dispute Assange’s statement of what he believes the first amendment ought to be. He says they don’t align with the statement of facts.

We reject those sentiments but accept that he believes them.

McKenzie says once the plea agreement is accepted and sentence is pronounced, US attorneys will lodge proceedings in the eastern district of Virginia “at the very moment” to dismiss other charges.

Despite the time difference, this should allow the agreement to come into immediate effect.

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Reactions flow in the United States to Assange’s plea deal

The news of Julian Assange’s plea deal has drawn a mixed reaction from the US political spectrum, with some hailing the WikiLeaks founder as a champion of press freedom and others saying that he is a threat to national security.

James Clapper, director of US national intelligence in 2010 when Assange and his WikiLeaks organisation published secret US intelligence documents with a consortium of newspapers including the Guardian, told CNN:

I actually think this came out pretty well … Critical to this was his plea of one count of espionage.

He’s paid his dues … There was a damage assessment done at the time – there was concern but I don’t recall direct proof that assets in Afghanistan and Iraq supporting or helping the US were exposed.

But Mike Pence, the former Republican vice-president, described Assange’s plea deal as “a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces and their families”.

“Julian Assange endangered the lives of our troops in a time of war and should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Pence said, adding:

There should be no plea deals to avoid prison for anyone that endangers the security of our military or the national security of the United States. Ever.

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McKenzie, one of the US attorneys, is now reading through details of the classified information Chelsea Manning downloaded, and then provided to WikiLeaks, “understanding that at least some of them would be publicly posted”.

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Further details of the crime

US attorneys are reading further details on the crime “to wilfully and unlawfully” obtain, deliver and transmit confidential information belonging to United States defence.

The defendant [using WikiLeaks] publicly solicited information from people who had then current or prior classified information.

McKenzie is noting WikiLeaks also published a “most wanted” list of leaks, including CIA databases, plus Iraq and Afghanistan rules of engagements, Guantanamo Bay interrogation techniques, CIA interrogations videos, and information about certain weapons systems.

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Here is a photo of the US district courthouse in Saipan, where the hearing is currently unfolding.

Clarification of guilt

She’s asking his lawyers for a bit of clarification from that statement, which seemed to stray from what she might have expected as an admission of guilty.

Assange’s lawyer says his client feels the two laws should be separate, but he “understands that no court has held there is a first amendment defence to the espionage act ... and is pleading guilty on that basis.”

Assange confirms.

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Judge Manglona is asking Assange to explain “what it is you did” for which he is pleading guilty.

Working as a journalist I encouraged my source to provide information that was said to be classified in order to publish that information. I believed the first amendment protected that activity but I accept that it was... a violation of the espionage statute.

She presses for more.

I believe the first amendment and the espionage act are in contradiction with each other but I accept that it would difficult to win such a case given all the circumstances.

Judge considers sentencing

The court is now hashing out sentencing details, and if Judge Manglona is to accept the guilty plea and other aspects of the agreement.

The US attorneys are telling the court details of the 35-year sentence initially issued to Assange’s “co-conspirator”, Chelsea Manning. That sentence was later commuted by then president, Barack Obama, and she served approximately seven years. The judge says this is something she can consider.

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The US government is not pursuing any forfeiture from Assange.

‘I am’: Assange says he is guilty of charge

Assange said he read “at great length” and signed the plea agreement while at Stansted airport on 24 June.

Judge Manglona has checked several times that no one has tried to bribe, intimidate or coerce Assange to plead guilty. He’s said no every time.

She asks if he is pleading guilty because he is “in fact guilty of that charge”. Assange takes a sizeable pause and says:

I am.

Updated

The Guardian has not independently confirmed this, but WikiLeaks has posted to X that Assange may depart for Canberra, Australia in less than three hours on Flight VJT199.

US attorneys are now reading out the plea agreement, and some slight amendments to language.

Court proceedings moving quickly

Manglona is a professional and experienced chief judge. She’s roaring through this hearing, noting several times that most don’t go this quickly, and stopping to check that Julian Assange is keeping up with all the legalities.

She asks if Assange is satisfied with the proceedings so far, and he jokes that it might depend on the outcome.

His lawyer adds, “no pressure, your honour”.

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Julian Assange is required to instruct WikiLeaks to destroy the information and provide an affidavit that he has done so.

The US attorneys are satisfied that he has done this.

Assange faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. After a sentence is pronounced, the court could still set a probationary period of one to five years.

This is all because the offence to which you are here to plead guilty is a class C felony.

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Assange pleads guilty to US espionage charge

Assange and his lawyers are now standing. He is asked if he will plead guilty or not guilty.

Assange leans forward to the microphone. Asked if he will plead guilty or not guilty, Assange replies:

Guilty to the information.

(This is a guilty plea, in legal language.)

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‘You only get a bit of time on this earth’: Assange’s father

Circling back to Julian Assange’s father, John Shipton, who was speaking with ABC News just earlier.

He is asked how he feels about Assange’s agreement to plead guilty to espionage, in hopes of returning to Australia?

I divide it into two. One is the human factor, that you only get a bit of time on this earth to spend with your loved ones. That’s all you get. The construction, or if you like the exposition and understanding of that is incapsulated in the decision to make freedom available to Julian under certain circumstances is vital. You can’t live here without time on this earth and spending time with your loved ones is really important.

The other section … state to state relationships, how states can work together and do work together, particularly when the United States is immensely powerful – a super power in economy and military and Australia relatively is small and weak, relatively, to that gigantic super power.

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Judge Manglona says she accepts Assange’s waiver.

It is 9.34am.

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Judge reads charge

Manglona is now reading the charge against Assange, of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US documents.

This is a crime that’s punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

She is explaining the formalities – that if he doesn’t waive his right to an indictment by pleading guilty he could be sent to trial.

Assange is answering with short answers to her questions, saying he understands.

Manglona: “Do you wish to waive your right to an indictment to a grand jury?”

“Yes,” he says.

Assange sits at the desk, leaning forward to the microphone with his hands together.

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Consultant, journalist, computer programmer, producer, editor …

Assange is being asked some formal questions by the judge before further proceedings.

He is first asked about some biographical details – he is 52, went to university but didn’t obtain any degree.

He says he has been a consultant, journalist, computer programmer, producer, editor and documentary editor.

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Assange is sworn in at court

Julian Assange is now being sworn in.

“My name is Julian Paul Assange,” he tells the court, spelling out his name. It’s the first words we’ve heard from him.

Julian Assange’s father, John Shipton, is speaking with Australian ABC News and said:

Well, I mean, doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels that Julian is returned home – well, about to return home.

The circumstances, there may be some questions to be resolved by the lawyers and the diplomats in the future, but having Julian home to an ordinary life after 15 years of incarceration in one form or another – house arrest, jail and asylum in an embassy – is pretty good news.

How is Julian feeling? His father says:

As you can easily imagine … his spirits have lifted and he will be able to spend quality time with his wife, Stella, and his two children, be able to walk up and down the beach and feel the sand through his toes in winter, that lovely chill. And be able to learn how to be patient and play with your children for a couple of hours. All of the great beauty of ordinary life.

‘Why is this case happening in Saipan?’

This is the 94th district court in the US, the country’s smallest, youngest and furthest from the capital.

She’s asking “why is this case happening in Saipan?”

McKenzie, for the USG says “after months and years of discussion” they decided to because it is close to Julian Assange’s native Australia and will accommodate him traveling home immediately after the proceeding.

Judge Manglona notes this is the first US jurisdiction Assange has appeared in since he committed the act abroad, and adds that a lot of people forget the northern Marianas are part of US jurisdiction.

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Judge notes national interest in case but urges people not to record

Judge Ramona V Manglona notes the packed court room and is warning people not to broadcast or record video or audio.

She also notes the international interest, and orders that a recording proceedings will be docketed and available on PACER.

Judge says amendment made, no details yet

Anderson and McKenzie are counsel for US.

The judge says the two sides met together in chambers earlier, and there has been an amendment made. No details but we’ll address it soon, she says.

Judge Ramona V Manglona has now entered the room.

Julian Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, has shared a video of him arriving at the Saipan court to X earlier this morning and said:

I watch this and think how overloaded his senses must be, walking through the press scrum after years of sensory depravation and the four walls of his high security Belmarsh prison cell.

All eyes are on Julian Assange, who is sitting quietly at the defence’s table, and appears to be reading court documents alongside his lawyer.

Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith are sitting with his legal team behind him, and they’re talking amongst themselves.

Gabriel Shipton, Assange’s brother, has just told Sky News Australia that the family was “overwhelmed”.

We are very much looking forward to having him home.

Judge Ramona V Manglona has not yet arrived.

Julian Assange enters courtroom

Julian Assange has arrived in court.

Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and ambassador to the UK, Stephen Smith, are sitting behind him as supporters.

Updated

Assange hearing expected to begin any minute in full courtroom

The last two seats in the main courtroom have been filled, and it’s expected now that anyone else wanting to watch proceedings will be put into an overflow room.

The hearing, in front of chief judge Ramona V Manglona, is expected to start any minute. The Guardian saw Assange entering a side room about 20 minutes ago.

The last two seats in the main courtroom have been taken as the hearing is about to kick off, Thomas Mangloña II reports.

US attorneys enter courtroom for Assange hearing

Local journalist covering the Mariana Islands Thomas Mangloña II has tweeted the following updates from the courtroom:

Roughly 40 people in the main courtroom right now with less than half an hour before the hearing is scheduled to begin. Some already in overflow room where there is a live feed.

U.S. Probation Officer Juanette F. David-Atalig entered courtroom.

US Attorneys have entered the courtroom.

Updated

Here is a livestream from outside the US district court in Saipan, which you can follow along with:

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Who is Kevin Rudd?

As we reported earlier, Julian Assange arrived at court in Saipan alongside Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd.

Rudd served as the Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 as leader of the Labor party. In 2010 he resigned as leader following a leadership challenge from his then-deputy, Julia Gillard.

He eventually defeated Gillard in a leadership spill in 2013, becoming prime minister for the second time, but this was short-lived – Labor lost the federal election just two months later.

Rudd first entered the Australian parliament in 1988 as the federal member for Griffith, in the inner southern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland. He was appointed shadow minister for foreign affairs in 2001 and first became Labor leader in late 2006.

Rudd is known for delivering the first national apology to Australia’s Indigenous people for the Stolen Generations.

Never one to shy away from the cameras, after retiring from politics he was appointed as Australia’s ambassador to the United States in late 2022. The current Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said at the time his appointment would be well served “at a time when our region is being reshaped by strategic competition” between the US and China.

Rudd spent time as the global president and chief executive of the international relations institute the Asia Society, and can speak Mandarin.

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Assange court hearing to begin in less than half an hour

There are about 40 to 50 media and supporters of Julian Assange here at the district courthouse in Saipan. Many of the journalists have flown in from overseas to cover what is one of the longest running sagas in media.

The courthouse sits at the foot of lush hillside on Saipan’s coast, in the village of Gualo Rai. In front is the sparkling Pacific, and a beach with stray kittens running among the trees.

The atmosphere in the court car park is buzzing, Saipan hasn’t had a story like this in as long as local journalists can remember and there is bemusement at the faster pace, sense of stress, and pushiness of the fly-in reporters compared with the usual laid back style.

Assange landed around 6am this morning, on a half-million dollar charter flight from London. He was accompanied by the Australian ambassadors to the UK and US, and a convoy of cars took him straight to the nearby Crowne Plaza hotel.

Just a few hours later he arrived at court, wearing a dark suit and a neutral expression. He took no questions from the swarming media, including one shouted query if he preferred the weather in Saipan to London.

Inside the courthouse, guards and court officers greeted the visitors with patience and warnings against recording anything while inside.

In the wood panelled courtroom, two flags sit beside the judge’s chair – one, the Stars and Stripes, the other for this Pacific territory.

Assange had agreed to appear before a US court but, ever suspicious, refused to go to the continental US. And so he, Stephen Smith, Kevin Rudd, and a handful of international media found themselves on this island chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Less than half an hour from now Assange is expected to plead guilty to one count of breaking the espionage act in return for his freedom.

Updated

Adam Bandt would welcome Julian Assange speaking at parliament, if he is freed

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, weighed in on the Assange case on ABC News Breakfast just earlier.

He said the issue was “unfolding in real time” so he could not comment on the court proceedings, but would “very strongly welcome” Julian Assange coming back to Australia:

The Greens have said from the beginning that journalism is not a crime and it’s caused many people around this country incredible distress to watch how Julian Assange has been treated.

I do think we have reached the point where, whatever you think about this – whether you have agreed with the Greens from the beginning that he should never have been charged, or even if you don’t – that it needs to come to an end and he needs to be brought home.

Bandt said that Assange has “had to endure something that many of us would find unimaginable”, and said “the amount of time he has already spent in detention has come at a massive toll on his health”.

Would Bandt support Assange coming to Canberra to speak at the Australian parliament, if he is freed?

If Julian Assange comes back to Australia and is free, then I certainly would like to hear him speak. I think many others would as well. He has endured a lot, he has done a lot, and I think we all have a lot to learn – including about how we can change our laws to ensure it doesn’t happen to someone else in the future and we don’t see a repeat of this.

Updated

Here is our full story on Julian Assange arriving in Saipan, for all the details:

Watch: Julian Assange arrives at Saipan court

Here is a video of the moment Julian Assange arrived at court in Saipan alongside Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd:

On former US vice-president Mike Pence’s views that Julian Assange should be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law”, Australian deputy prime minister Richard Marles said:

I don’t think it serves to go over Mr Assange’s actions many, many years ago, other than to observe that since then, Mr Assange has been incarcerated for many, many years.

And that’s really the point that we are making here.

Whatever has occurred in the past, Mr Assange has served a considerable amount of time in prison and of course, he was confined for a considerable period of time prior to that.

Updated

Does Richard Marles believe it was political pressure that brought about this day?

Australia’s deputy prime minister told ABC RN Breakfast just earlier:

Again, I don’t think it helps to speculate on that. All I can say is that we’ve been advocating on Mr Assanges’ behalf as we would do in relation to any Australian who is incarcerated overseas who needs the advocacy of the Australian Government.

That’s what governments do around the world.

And Mr Assange has circumstances irrespective of one’s view of what he did previously, he had been incarcerated for a prolonged period of time, there was no fixed resolution to that incarceration that was fundamentally unfair.

That’s what we sought to resolve and, and that’s been the heart of our advocacy.

And in that context, we’re very pleased that we’re getting to this day.

Updated

Australian deputy prime minister ‘pleased we are seeing movement’ on Julian Assange case

Australia’s defence minister and deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, spoke with ABC RN Breakfast earlier about the Julian Assange case and said:

We’ve been facilitating Mr Assange’s movements. And so as Mr Assange appears in US court this morning in Saipan, and it is my understanding that our ambassador the United States, Kevin Rudd, is there, as is the High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, who’s has been facilitating Mr Assange’s travel.

Obviously, we are limited in what we can say. Now, this is this is before the United States courts literally as we are speaking, and we need to let that process take its course, but we’re obviously very pleased that we are seeing movement and resolution to Mr Assange’s circumstances because he was incarcerated for a protracted period of time.

And there needed to be resolution and we’ve been very much advocating on his behalf, since we’ve come to government with both the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom and we’re pleased we’ve got to this day.

Updated

An update from the ground in Saipan

Julian Assange has arrived at court in Saipan, accompanied by the ambassador to the UK, Stephen Smith, and Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister and now ambassador to the US.

There’s a hoard of media outside the court here, both local and foreign.

Assange did not stop to speak to any despite the questions being shouted at him, including whether he preferred the weather in Saipan to London.

- with Kimberly Esmores

Where is Saipan, and why is Julian Assange there?

As we previously mentioned, Julian Assange will appear in a United States district court in Saipan at 9am local time today.

Saipan is the largest island and capital of the Mariana islands, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific.

Like territories such as Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the US without the full status of a state.

The roughly 51,000 residents are US citizens but cannot vote in presidential elections. Crucially, some, like Saipan, also host US district courts.

The location of the court is because Assange is opposed to travelling to the continental US, and its proximity to his native Australia – roughly 3,000km.

- with Reuters

As Daniel Hurst reported last night, Australia’s most senior diplomat in the UK also flew with Julian Assange to Saipan.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed the high-level consular support for Assange while telling parliament yesterday: “We want him brought home to Australia.”

The high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, had travelled with Assange out of the country, Albanese said, adding that Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, was “also providing important assistance”.

And here is some footage shared by WikiLeaks:

Julian Asssange arrives at Saipan court alongside Kevin Rudd

Here are some photos from the moment Julian Assange arrived at a US district court in Saipan, alongside former prime minister and current Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.

Updated

The ABC has just broadcast live footage from Saipan, showing Julian Assange arriving at court alongside Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd.

As we resume our live coverage of Julian Assange, here is the state of play:

Julian Assange has landed on the island of Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands. The WikiLeaks founder was released from Belmarsh prison in London on Monday.

  • Assange, 52, is scheduled to be sentenced in a US district court in Saipan at 9am local time on Wednesday (11pm GMT on Tuesday). Guardian correspondent Helen Davidson is on the ground in Saipan and will bring all the latest news from the Assange court hearing as it happens.

  • He is expected to accept a charge under the US Espionage Act in front of a US federal judge. Under the deal, which must be approved by a judge, Assange is likely to be credited for the five years he has already served and face no new jail time.

  • Supporters have celebrated his release. The dedicated band of supporters have spent years on the case, some of them over more than a decade.

  • Experts have warned that the plea deal struck between the WikiLeaks founder and the US authorities could set a dangerous precedent. Many press freedom advocates have argued that criminally charging Assange represents a threat to free speech.

  • There was a mixed reaction to the news of the plea deal across the US political spectrum. James Clapper, director of US national intelligence in 2010 when Assange and his WikiLeaks organisation published secret US intelligence documents with a consortium of newspaper, said Assange had “paid his dues”. Former US vice-president Mike Pence, however, described Assange’s plea deal as “a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces and their families”.

  • WikiLeaks said Assange had left Belmarsh prison on Monday morning, after 1,901 days of captivity there. He had spent the time, the organisation said, “in a 2x3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day”.

  • Assange was set to be reunited with his wife, Stella, and their two children. Stella Assange, a human rights lawyer, spoke of her elation that he has been released and will soon be a “free man”. She said she had not yet informed their two boys, aged five and seven, of the plans for fear of the information leaking.

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