Julian Assange – Timeline of legal journey

Julian Assange’s Legal Journey:

Early Life and Wikileaks Formation

• 1995: Julian Assange fined for hacking offenses in Australia.
• 2006: Co-founds Wikileaks, a platform for leaking sensitive information.

Major Leaks and Legal Troubles

• April 2010: Wikileaks releases footage of US helicopter firing on civilians in Iraq.
• August 2010: Swedish authorities issue arrest warrant for Assange on sexual assault allegations.
• December 2010: Arrested in London, bailed, and begins fighting extradition to Sweden.

Asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy

• May 2012: UK Supreme Court rules Assange should be extradited to Sweden.
• June 2012: Seeks asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.
• August 2012: Granted asylum by Ecuador.

International Reactions and Legal Battles

• February 2016: UN panel rules Assange has been “arbitrarily detained.”
• May 2017: Swedish sexual assault investigations dropped.
• November 2018: US secretly files charges against Assange.

Arrest and Imprisonment

• April 2019: Arrested by UK police at the Ecuadorean embassy.
• May 2019: Sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for breaching bail conditions.
• May 2019: US indicts Assange on 17 new Espionage Act violations.

Extradition Fight

• January 2021: UK judge rejects US extradition request due to Assange’s mental health.
• June 2022: UK orders extradition to US, case continues in appeals.
• February 2024: Assange’s lawyers launch final bid to stop extradition.
• May 2024: High Court allows new appeal against extradition.

Plea Deal and Release

• June 19, 2024: Signs plea deal with US; High Court grants bail.
• June 24, 2024: Released from UK prison, travels to US territory.
• June 25, 2024: Pleads guilty to one Espionage Act charge, returns to Australia.

Future Focus

• Post-release: Assange and family prioritize health and privacy.