This essay, on Julian Assange and press freedom, was published in the Observer on 30 June 2024 under the headline “Julian Assange is free, but his case is a grim reminder of the fragility of press freedom”. It was a messy ending to an often chaotic story. Julian Assange was released last week from Belmarsh prison to board a flight to the US-governed Pacific island of Saipan. There, under a special deal with the US authorities, he pleaded guilty in court to […]

Categories: Free Speech, Justice & Liberties • Tags: afghanistan, america, chelsea manning, freedom of speech, iraq war, julian assange, press freedom, whistleblowing, wikileaks