In an unexpected twist in a seemingly endless tale, the volcanic island of Saipan, a U.S. base located within the Micronesian islands, bore witness to another noteworthy event. With a brutal past that predates the arrival of renowned figures Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy, the island once more plunged into a commotion involving clashing perspectives of reality, heavy diplomatic negotiations, a captivated media, and an overwhelming ego. Unlike the clash between Roy and Mick, the tussle between the United States and Julian Assange culminated with amicable resolution.
Clad in a brown tie with blue embroidery, an unsettlingly pale Assange emerged out of the Saipan courthouse on Wednesday as a liberated individual. After briefly interacting with the throng of reporters, he stepped out, seemingly disoriented by the event.
Following a plea of guilty to a charge under the United States Espionage Act, the saga, which commenced in 2010, concluded on this 23-kilometre long island known for its fluctuating regimes and consistent weather conditions. Assange could now return to Australia, his home nation, to reunite with his wife, Stella Moris, a legal practitioner, and their two children—conceived while he housed in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.
The interpretation of this incident could go either way depending on one’s view on the spectrum of Assange as a messiah or devil. It could be seen as a long-anticipated cessation of a rather stubborn yet foreboding harassment of a courageous hacker who had disgraced the U.S. administration. Conversely, it could be regarded as another escapade of a habitual evader and swindler; a self-proclaimed activist for transparency who maintained his innocence against sexual allegations, but took refuge for seven years in an embassy instead of facing trial in Sweden.
The reality involves elements of both, revealing the paradox that embodies Assange. In an era inclined to perceive key figures as either heroes or villains, he resists such one-dimensional classification. His record includes revealing information in public interest as well as those that weren’t. He positions himself as an unfairly targeted underdog who had to withstand years of fierce legal action by a punitive superpower, and simultaneously as a careless hacker with inflated vision. He identifies as the ‘editor-in-chief’ of WikiLeaks insisting on his prosecution for commonplace journalistic conduct, although his unconventional journalistic methods, which include incentivising information and publishing unedited data that could jeopardise sources, are contentious at best.
His legacy is an arguable one. He is credited with publicising a video of a US helicopter attacking civilians in Baghdad in 2007 and unveiling extrajudicial assassinations in Kenya. However, he also broadcasted Democratic emails hacked by Russian intelligence in the 2016 US Presidential election, unknowingly propelling Trump towards presidency. The US asserts he endangered whistleblowers, yet the judge presiding over his guilty plea announcement mentions no victims have been identified.
Moreover, his personal conduct, not directly related to his work impact, doesn’t make him a praised hero of our era. For seven years, he took residence in a makeshift office in the Ecuadorean embassy, where he hosted guests like Lady Gaga and Pamela Anderson, testing the forbearance of the staff. In 2018, he was bestowed with house regulations including managing his cat properly and maintaining bathroom cleanliness. A year later, he faced allegations of rude and violent behaviour before being forcibly removed. Even more incriminating is his previous conduct that led him to seek refuge there initially.
Swedish authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in relation to two sexual offences in 2010. Allegedly, he raped one woman and sexually harassed and manipulated another while in Stockholm in August 2010, charges he contradicts. Following the UK Supreme court’s affirmation of the Swedish warrant, he sought refuge in the embassy to evade extradition.
The Swedish allegations were eventually abandoned due to elapsed time and virtually forgotten after Assange’s file from the US Department of Justice came to light in 2019. Most charges against him pertained to documents leaked by Chelsea Manning, released in unison with significant global news organisations.
Throughout Obama’s tenure, the justice department did not aggressively push for Assange’s extradition since similar accusations could be levelled against the media entities he collaborated with. This approach, however, shifted under Trump and continued under Biden. No matter what one’s stance on Assange’s professional conduct or moral integrity, his struggle elevated beyond his individual saga. Advocacy groups for human rights swiftly rallied for his liberation. Unexpectedly, it was a vengeful US decision over his own actions that reinvigorated his standing and framed him as a beacon for press liberty.
In an ironic twist, even his fiercest detractors now concur that the 14 years he has already endured should suffice. On X, Anna Ardin, one of the individuals who accused him, expressed, “‘Every time Assange suffered any misfortune, I was blamed. Now that he’s free, maybe I will receive some appreciation? I jest, but the reality is that I had no influence over this situation. However, I am pleased he is released, and I hope he will continue his fight for transparency and human rights, without exploiting women.”
Regardless of one’s doubts about Assange and his tactics, it’s high time he is granted the freedom to live his life as he wishes – even though the idea of him living a peaceful life might be the most fantastical rumour circulating about him. Much like the other prolonged Saipan saga, this narrative has been drawn out excessively, and yet it is far from concluded.