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“Julian Assange: ‘I Chose Freedom Over Unrealisable Justice’ in Plea Deal”

Julian Assange has expressed that he opted for freedom "over unrealisable justice" following his plea deal with U.S. authorities. In a recent statement, the WikiLeaks founder described his decision as a plea of "guilty to journalism" in exchange for his release, and he called on European lawmakers to take action to safeguard press freedom in an environment characterized by "more impunity, more secrecy, and more retaliation for telling the truth." This marks Assange's first public comment since the plea deal in June, which concluded nearly 14 years of his imprisonment, confinement in an embassy, and house arrest in the UK. He emphasized that legal protections for whistleblowers and journalists are often merely theoretical or ineffective within a reasonable timeframe.
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Question 1: What did Julian Assange say about his decision regarding freedom and justice?

Julian Assange stated that he chose freedom "over unrealisable justice" in light of his plea deal with US authorities.

Question 2: What was the context of Assange's public statement?

This was Assange's first public statement since his plea deal in June, which concluded nearly 14 years of his imprisonment, embassy confinement, and house arrest in the UK.

Question 3: What did Assange urge European lawmakers to do?

Assange urged European lawmakers to take action to protect freedom of expression, highlighting a climate of "more impunity, more secrecy, and more retaliation for telling the truth."

Question 4: How did Assange describe the legal protections for whistleblowers and journalists?

He argued that legal protections for whistleblowers and journalists "only existed on paper" or were "not effective in any remotely reasonable time."