Two months ago, Julian Assange began his passage to freedom - a long-negotiated plea deal, the toing and froing of negotiations, a visit to a US Federal court in Siam and onto a $750k chartered flight home to Australia.
This was history in the making as has never been witnessed before. A political prisoner - persecuted for exposing the corruption of the US Government and all its murderous coups and programs of assassinated killings, and the allies who supported them.
Julian Assange’s crime was imprisonment for telling the truth. Never charged, never found guilty and yet he was held in Belmarsh Prison, the UK’s equivalent of Guantanamo Bay - subject to an extradition battle that eventually saw a deal reached tying Assange in knots forever.
Assange although free remains a prisoner at the mercy of the United States government.
When Assange arrived back on home soil, Australia would have seemed a foreign place to him. Fist pumping the air as he crossed the tarmac to be greeted by his wife Stella and father John, Assange was history temporarily walking away from the eyes of Australia, retreating to a secret hideaway where he could begin to rebuild his life and assume some form of normality.
Assange has an enormous challenge ahead to overcome the demons of persecution of the past 14 years.
This week, in a deeply personal interview, Gabriel Shipton – brother of Julian Assange, opened-up about the emotional, psychological, and legal challenges surrounding Assange’s return to Australia.
Shipton shared insights into his brother’s struggle to adjust to freedom, the legal battles that still threaten his future, and the political landscape that continues to shape their lives.
Shipton said, "It was incredibly, unbelievable" reflecting on the surrealness that marked Assange’s return to Australia. After more than a decade of confinement—first in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, then in Belmarsh Prison—Assange is now faced with a new kind of challenge: adjusting to ordinary life.
"He's dealing with all these administrative issues, "Shipton said. "Visas, citizenship for his children, a driver’s license—all things he hasn’t had to deal with for the last 14 years." For Assange, it’s these mundane tasks that are reminders of the freedom he has regained, but they also highlight the long road of readjustment ahead.
Recalling visiting Assange shortly after his return, describing the profound experience of seeing his brother play with his children, Shipton said, “We didn’t believe it would ever happen, and we’re still in awe.”
But even as Assange begins to settle into life in Australia, Shipton said the transition has been challenging. “Julian is still in a ‘survival mindset,’ a mental state common among those who have spent significant time in prison.”
I’]s this mindset, he believes, that will take time to shift, and Assange will likely need specialised psychological support to fully reintegrate into society.
Despite the joy of Assange’s return to Australia and his family and friends, the shadow of his past still looms. Quick to point out their conversations rarely dwell on the decisions that were made that led to this point, “Instead,” Shipton said, “They focus on the future. We don’t dwell on the past and think about those sorts of things. Whenever I talk to him, it’s always about looking forward—what can we do, what’s next?"
According to Shipton, a more pressing concern is securing a presidential pardon for Assange. Discussing the likelihood with a sense of urgency. “The legal deal struck with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is far from a victory.”
It required Assange to plead guilty to espionage charges, leaving him with severe restrictions on his ability to appeal or seek recourse for prosecutorial misconduct. Moreover, Assange’s ability to share his story and profit from it, is hampered by proceeds of crime laws that could be enforced both in the US and Australia.
"Even if he writes a book and sells it in Australia, he still can’t make money off it, if it describes the crime he’s been convicted of," Shipton said. This limitation not only affects Assange’s ability to support his family but raises broader concerns about freedom of expression and press freedom.
The legal challenges Assange also faces are compounded by the threat of renewed persecution under a different political administration. Shipton is particularly concerned about the possibility of a future Australian government, led by a figure like Peter Dutton, allowing the US to extradite his brother once again.
"This is why a pardon is so important. A presidential pardon would effectively erase Julian’s conviction, providing him with the legal protection he desperately needs. However, the path to securing such a pardon is fraught with difficulties.”
Shipton realises political allegiances can change, and the current support his brother enjoys from the Albanese government could disappear should Dutton be elected.
He’s acutely aware of the precariousness of Assange’s situation and recalls the tense weeks leading up to Assange’s release, knowing the US could still intervene at the last moment. Even as Assange’s plane touched down in Australia, the fear of last-minute obstacles remained. "Until he was in Australian airspace we were trying to dampen everyone’s expectations,“ he said.
The release of Assange, Shipton said, was more than just a personal victory; it was a significant moment for Australia as a nation. "It was a nation-building moment," reflecting on the broader implications of securing his freedom, believing that the moment demonstrated Australia’s ability to stand up to powerful international forces and protect its citizens, a crucial step towards asserting the country’s sovereignty.
However, according to Shipton, much more needs to be done to strengthen Australia’s position globally, criticising the deep ties between Australian and US government institutions, which he believes have compromised Australia’s sovereignty.
"There’s a section of the permanent state that’s intertwined with the institutions of state of the US and Britain, and they act in the interest of themselves than the interest of the nation."
It’s a criticism that extends to Australia’s broader geopolitical strategy, particularly its relationship with the US. One example that highlights Shipton’s concerns is the controversial submarine deal which he sees as a "wealth transfer" from Australia to the US and UK, questioning whether such deals truly enhance Australia’s security.
As Assange continues to rebuild his life, Shipton is cautious about placing pressure on him regarding future. “Julian”, he said, “Has always been passionate about technology and solving problems related to freedom of information. However, after years of imprisonment, the timeline for when he might reengage with these issues remains uncertain.”
In the meantime, Shipton is focused on fighting for his brother’s complete freedom, including securing a presidential pardon. He’s also working on launching new organisations to help others in similar situations, drawing on the lessons learned from Assange’s case.
As for Assange’s future, it cautious but optimistic. "I don’t want to put too much pressure on what he’s going to do next.”
Assange’s return to Australia marks the end of one chapter in his life, but the battle for justice is far from over. And while the joy of freedom is undeniable, the road ahead is filled with challenges, both legal and psychological.
Julian Assange reported FACTS. The US government does not want people to know the truth about very much. That is why we still don't have access to the truth about the JFK assassination (1963), the MLK and RFK assassinations (1968), the entire Vietnam debacle, etc.
I won't even mention the Afghanistan debacle. The US invaded Iraq under totally fabricated pretenses ("weapons of mass destruction"). Of course, numbers range all over the place, but the death toll was estimated in the 186,901 – 210,296 range as of 2023 (source: The Iraq Body Count Project), and the costs as high as $2.89 trillion (source: Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs). Don't citizens (i.e., taxpayers) and the world have the right to know what our leaders have done with our money? Which is the greater crime: to invade a nation under false pretenses at immense costs, or to publish valid information about what happened?
One can only imagine Assange's state of mind. The stress has surely taken its toll...
The Kafkaesque incarceration of Assange was an indictment of "Western values," as well as the Western media establishment that not only did not rise to Assange's defense, but in many cases supported the State's groundless case against him. The harassment of independent journalists continues with the recent arrest of Richard Medhurst at Heathrow AP, again on baseless grounds (Section 12, or the "Support" section of the UK's 2000 Terrorism Act is hopelessly vague). At least Assange is out of Belmarsh, where he never should have been in the first place.