Senator Simon Birmingham emphasized that the release of classified information by Wikileaks should not be categorized as ‘journalism.’ He expressed concern over the treatment of Julian Assange, cautioning against glorifying him as a hero upon his return to Australia after 14 years. Birmingham criticized Prime Minister Albanese for welcoming Assange with open arms, especially considering Assange’s recent guilty plea to charges under the Espionage Act in the United States.
The U.S. prosecutors had initially charged Assange for violating the Espionage Act due to Wikileaks’ disclosure of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables. Despite this, Assange accepted a plea deal where he admitted to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents. His wife, Stella, defended his actions as “committing journalism,” highlighting the broader issue of criminalizing journalistic activities.
Senator Birmingham reiterated that Assange’s actions did not align with responsible journalism practices, as he simply published a vast amount of documents without proper vetting. He criticized the prime minister’s actions as sending the wrong signals to Australia’s allies, suggesting that the warm welcome to Assange was inappropriate given his recent guilty plea.
Critics worldwide, including Andrei Sannikov and Sergej Sumlenny, have condemned Assange’s actions, pointing out the potential risks and dangers posed by Wikileaks’ disclosures. The U.S. State Department acknowledged the need to warn individuals affected by the leaked information to mitigate potential harm. Please rewrite this sentence.
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