After serving five years in a high-security jail in London, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is “rediscovering” life as he enjoys freedom in Australia, according to a statement made by his wife on Thursday.
The previous evening, the 52-year-old arrived in Canberra following his guilty plea to one count of disclosing military secrets in a US Pacific island court.
He was freed after accepting a plea deal that resulted in a sentence of time already served, following a 14-year legal battle with the US Department of Justice. But the jail time has taken a toll.
After landing, Assange skipped the press briefing, where his wife sobbed in support of their right to solitude and time for Assange to heal.
“He’s just savouring freedom for the first time in 14 years. He needs time to rest and recover. And he is just rediscovering normal life. And he needs space to do that,” Stella Assange told reporters Thursday.
“Julian plans to swim in the ocean every day. He plans to sleep in a real bed. He plans to taste real food. And he plans to enjoy his freedom.”
