In breaking news this morning, Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department of Justice which means he can walk from his prison cell and return home to Australia to be with his family.
The price Julian Assange has paid for telling the truth about the United States military, war and power has been extreme, and the world is thankful for the courage he has shown for so long.
Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:
"I along with millions of Australians are looking forward to welcoming Julian back home where he belongs with his family and his friends.
"To those around Australia and the the world who have said #FreeAssange, thank you. This would not have happened without sustained pressure from millions of people who support truth telling.
"To Julian who told the truth and did it knowing he would face a global attack, we are immensely grateful.
"Let's be clear, Julian Assange should never have been charged with espionage in the first place or had to make this deal.
"Julian Assange has spent years in jail for the crime of showing the world the horrors of the US war in Iraq and the complicity of governments like Australia and that is why he has been punished.
"We should take a moment to reflect on what this one person has faced, years in solitary confinement, years lost with his family and years of holding to his convictions in the face of impossible pressure.
"Whistleblowers like Julian continue to pay an unfair price for telling the world the unethical and criminal actions of Governments.
"On this day we again commit to fixing whistleblower laws in Australia and supporting truth telling across the globe," Senator Shoebridge said.
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:
"This has been a hard fought battle and although justice has not been served today is a day to celebrate that Assange is finally coming home.
"The persecution of Julian Assange has shone a light on a broken legal system, one in which an innocent man must plead guilty to be free.
"We should never forget why Julian was targeted by the US for over a decade: for telling an awful, inconvenient truth about war crimes.
