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.