Assange's Father 'Doing Cartwheels' Over Son's Freedom

By Al Mayadeen English

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's father, John Shipton, shares his joy over his son's recent release from prison, and his return to Australia.

John Shipton, the father of Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange, said on Wednesday that he was "doing cartwheels" following his son's release from the British Belmarsh Prison.

"Doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels," he said on Australian broadcaster ABC.

Shipton celebrated his son's release from incarceration and the prospect of being able to lead a normal life with his wife and two children upon returning to his native country Australia.

"He will be able to spend quality time with his wife Stella, and his two children, be able to walk up and down on the beach and feel the sand through his toes in winter -- that lovely chill -- and be able to learn how to be patient and play with your children for a couple of hours -- all of the great beauty of ordinary life," he said. 

He criticized his son's treatment by the US authorities, saying free speech was the most important tenet of the US constitution: "You can't possibly call yourself a civilisation if you act outside of the constitution that embraces your nation."

Stella Assange took to X to update on her husband's freedom following his court appearance in Saipan.

WikiLeaks also posted an update on Assange, who is expected to arrive in Canberra shortly.

Assange had been imprisoned in the high-security Belmarsh Prison in London since April 2019 after British police were allowed to raid the Ecuadorian Embassy where he had secured asylum in 2012. 

The United States sought to put Assange on trial for publishing US military secrets and evidence of war crimes in the American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is accused of publishing some 700,000 confidential documents relating to US military and diplomatic activities.

On Tuesday, newly filed court papers indicated that Julian Assange entered into a plea deal with the United States government.