Challenges in the Life of Julian Assange in a Detailed Timeline
Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Julian Assange. A timeline of obstacles and growth.
Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He gained international prominence in 2010 following WikiLeaks' publication of leaked materials from Chelsea Manning, including footage of a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, war logs from Afghanistan and Iraq, and U.S. diplomatic cables. While lauded by some for his work in journalism and publishing, he has also faced legal challenges and controversy.
1987: Becoming a Skilled Hacker
By 1987, at the age of 16, Julian Assange had become a skilled hacker known as Mendax. Around this time, the police raided his mother's home and confiscated his equipment due to allegations of stealing from Citibank.
September 1991: Discovery of Hacking into Nortel Terminal
In September 1991, Julian Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel.
1994: Charged with Hacking Crimes
In 1994, Julian Assange was charged with 31 counts of crimes related to hacking.
May 1995: Trial Date Set
In May 1995, Julian Assange's trial date was set, and his case was presented to the Supreme Court of Victoria.
December 1996: Plea Deal and Sentencing
In December 1996, Julian Assange struck a plea deal and pleaded guilty to 24 hacking charges. He was sentenced to a fine of A$2,100 and released on a A$5,000 good behaviour bond due to his disrupted childhood and the absence of malicious intent.
1996: Conviction for Hacking
In 1996, Julian Assange was convicted for hacking, marking an early legal challenge related to his involvement in the hacker community.
1999: Custody Dispute Resolved
In 1999, Assange and Teresa resolved their custody dispute over their son Daniel.
2008: Swiss Bank Publication Attempt
In 2008, WikiLeaks' international profile increased when a Swiss bank, Bank Julius Baer, attempted to prevent the site's publication of bank records via a Californian court injunction, leading to the "Streisand effect" and drawing global attention to WikiLeaks.
2009: WikiLeaks' Successes and Unfulfilled Goals
By 2009, WikiLeaks had succeeded in exposing the powerful and publishing material beyond state control, while also gaining media support for advocating freedom of speech, but fell short in crowd-sourcing analysis of documents.
2009: Assange allegedly starts recruiting hackers
In 2009, according to a new indictment from June 2020, Julian Assange allegedly started attempting to recruit hackers and system administrators at conferences around the world.
March 2010: Text Chat with Chelsea Manning
In March 2010, a member of WikiLeaks, widely believed to be Julian Assange, talked to Chelsea Manning by text chat while she was submitting leaks to WikiLeaks. These chat logs were later used in the 2018 indictment of Assange.
August 2010: Accusations of Sexual Offences in Sweden
Beginning in August 2010, Assange contested legal proceedings in the United Kingdom concerning the requested extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden for a "preliminary investigation" into accusations of sexual offences made in August 2010.
August 2010: Provision of Encryption Key to The Guardian
In August 2010, Julian Assange gave Guardian journalist David Leigh an encryption key and a URL where he could locate the full file of US diplomatic cables.
September 2010: International Arrest Warrant Issued
On 27 September 2010, Assange left Sweden for UK; an international arrest warrant was issued the same day for allegations of rape, unlawful coercion, and sexual molestation.
November 2010: Sweden Seeks Extradition
In November 2010, Sweden sought to extradite Julian Assange from the UK for questioning in an unrelated police investigation, initiating a prolonged legal battle.
November 2010: US Investigation into WikiLeaks Begins
In November 2010, after WikiLeaks released the Manning material, US Attorney-General Eric Holder announced an "active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks, and the administration urged allies to open criminal investigations of Assange.
December 2010: PostFinance Closes Assange's Swiss Bank Account
In December 2010, PostFinance closed Assange's Swiss bank account due to "false information regarding his place of residence", leading WikiLeaks to claim it was part of a banking blockade.
December 2010: Dissemination of Encrypted Files
In December 2010, WikiLeaks supporters disseminated the encrypted files to mirror sites after WikiLeaks experienced cyber-attacks.
February 2011: Publication of Encryption Key by The Guardian
In February 2011, David Leigh and Luke Harding of The Guardian published the encryption key to WikiLeaks files in their book WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy, compromising the security of leaked US diplomatic cables.
August 2011: WikiLeaks Volunteer Becomes FBI Informant
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson contacted the FBI and became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks, providing hard drives copied from Assange and core WikiLeaks members.
August 2011: Der Freitag Article
On 25 August 2011, the German magazine Der Freitag published an article giving details which enabled people to piece together the information. In September 2011, WikiLeaks announced they would make the unredacted cables public and searchable.
September 2011: Announcement to Publish Unredacted Cables
In September 2011, WikiLeaks announced they would make the unredacted cables public and searchable after a series of events compromised the security of the file.
September 2011: Assange could face prosecution in Australia
On 2 September 2011, Australia's attorney general, Robert McClelland, stated that the US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks identified at least one ASIO officer, which is a crime in Australia. This meant "Julian Assange could face prosecution in Australia."
June 2012: Asylum in Ecuadorian Embassy
In June 2012, Assange breached bail and sought refuge at Ecuador's Embassy in London and was granted asylum.
June 2012: UK threatens to enter embassy to arrest Assange
In June 2012, the UK government threatened to enter the Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Assange. The Metropolitan Police Service stationed officers outside the embassy to arrest Assange if he left.
June 2012: Assange applies for political asylum in Ecuadorian embassy
On 19 June 2012, Assange applied for political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. An office was converted into a studio apartment with amenities.
2012: US investigates Assange, considers espionage charges
In 2012, diplomatic cables revealed that the US government was investigating Assange, considering charges like espionage and conspiracy. Diplomats dismissed claims of political motivation and cited prosecutors' claims that Manning was "guided by WikiLeaks' list of 'most wanted' leaks".
June 2013: Grand jury examines Assange
In June 2013, The New York Times reported that court documents suggested Assange was being examined by a grand jury and several government agencies, including the FBI.
2013: Assange stands for Australian Senate
In 2013, Assange stood for the Australian Senate in Victoria and launched the WikiLeaks Party, but failed to win a seat.
2013: Internal dissent in WikiLeaks Party
In 2013, the WikiLeaks party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics, including a controversial preference deal. Leaked emails suggested Assange attempted to exert control over the party's decisions.
May 2014: WikiLeaks under 'active and ongoing' investigation
Court documents published in May 2014 suggested that WikiLeaks was under an "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
2014: Assange ruled ineligible for special election
Assange stated he would stand for the 2014 special election in Western Australia, but the Australian Electoral Commission ruled Assange was ineligible.
2014: WikiLeaks violates gag order in Australia
In 2014, WikiLeaks published information about political bribery allegations, violating a gag order in Australia. A media lawyer noted that Assange could face charges if he returns to Australia.
July 2015: Assange requests refugee status from France
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French president François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. Hollande denied the request.
August 2015: Statute of Limitations Expires for Some Allegations
On 12 August 2015, Swedish prosecutors announced that the statute of limitations had expired for three of the allegations against Assange while he was in the Ecuadorian embassy.
October 2015: Police officers withdrawn from embassy
In October 2015, police officers were withdrawn from outside the embassy on grounds of cost, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him".
2015: WikiLeaks Party deregistered
The WikiLeaks Party was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
April 2017: US officials prepare to file charges against Assange
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange.
May 2017: Assange remains in embassy to avoid extradition
On 19 May 2017, Assange stated he would remain inside the Ecuadorian embassy to avoid extradition to the United States, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation.
2017: Rape Investigation Dropped
In May 2017, the investigation into the rape allegation was dropped by Swedish authorities because of Assange's asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy. Assange feared extradition to the United States if sent to Sweden.
February 2018: Assange Challenges UK Arrest Warrant
In February 2018, after Sweden suspended its investigation, Assange challenged Britain's arrest warrant, arguing it was no longer proportionate, but Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled the warrant should remain in place.
October 2018: Assange Sues Ecuador
On October 19, 2018, Assange sued Ecuador for violating his rights, citing threats to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him.
2018: US Indictment of Assange Unsealed
In 2018, the US prepared an indictment charging Assange with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks, which was unsealed in April 2019 following his arrest.
2018: Indictment of Julian Assange
In 2018, the US referred to text chat logs between Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, that occurred in March 2010, in the indictment of Julian Assange.
March 2019: Inter-American Commission Rejects Assange's Complaint
In March 2019, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights rejected Assange's complaint against Ecuador and his request to unseal criminal charges in the US.
April 2019: Assange incarcerated at HM Prison Belmarsh
After his arrest on April 11, 2019, Julian Assange was incarcerated at HM Prison Belmarsh in London.
April 2019: Arrest and Imprisonment
In April 2019, Julian Assange's asylum was withdrawn, and he was arrested by British police. He was found guilty of breaching the United Kingdom Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison and incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh in London.
April 2019: Assange Arrested and Asylum Revoked
On April 11, 2019, Ecuador revoked Assange's asylum. He was arrested by London Metropolitan Police for failing to appear in court and carried out of the embassy. The US unsealed a 2018 indictment against him.
May 2019: US grand jury adds espionage charges
In May 2019, a US grand jury added 17 espionage charges related to Julian Assange's involvement with Chelsea Manning, bringing the total to 18 federal charges against him in the US. Assange's defenders argue he was simply publishing leaked information as a journalist.
May 2019: UN rapporteur concludes Assange shows symptoms of psychological torture
In May 2019, after visiting Julian Assange in prison, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture, concluded that Assange showed symptoms typical of prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress and chronic anxiety.
May 2019: Reopening of Swedish Investigation
In May 2019, the Swedish Prosecution Authority reopened the investigation against Assange, expressing the intent to extradite him from the United Kingdom after his prison sentence.
May 2019: U.S. Government Unseals New Indictments
In May 2019, the U.S. government unsealed new indictments against Julian Assange, charging him with violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and alleging he had conspired with hackers.
May 2019: First hearing held on US extradition request
On May 2, 2019, the first hearing was held in London regarding the U.S. request for Julian Assange's extradition. He stated he did not wish to surrender himself for extradition for doing journalism. On June 13, the British home secretary signed the extradition order.
June 2019: Extradition Request Denied
In June 2019, the Uppsala District Court denied a request to detain Assange, preventing his extradition to Sweden.
September 2019: Judge rules Assange will not be released
On September 13, 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Julian Assange would not be released when his prison term ended on September 22, because he was a flight risk and his lawyers had not applied for bail.
October 2019: Assange appears for case management hearing
On October 21, 2019, Julian Assange appeared for a case management hearing at the court.
November 2019: Medical professionals raise concerns about Assange's health
Between November 2019 and February 2020, members of the medical profession raised concerns about Julian Assange's health and detention conditions, signing petitions on his behalf.
November 2019: Prosecution Drops Case
On 19 November 2019, the prosecution dropped the case because "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed" although they were confident in the complainant.
November 2019: Melzer states Assange's health is deteriorating
On November 1, 2019, Nils Melzer stated that Julian Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was at risk, also saying that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
December 2019: Melzer accuses UK government of torturing Assange
On December 30, 2019, Nils Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange, stating that his continued exposure to mental and emotional suffering amounted to psychological torture.
2019: Assange's indictment unsealed
Assange's indictment was unsealed in 2019 and expanded on later that year.
2019: Swedish Investigation Dropped
In 2019, Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation against Julian Assange.
2019: Mueller report considers charging WikiLeaks and Assange
In early 2019, the Mueller report considered charging WikiLeaks or Assange "as conspirators in the computer-intrusion conspiracy" and noted "factual uncertainties" about Assange's role in the hacks.
2019: Judge Arbuthnot withdraws from Assange case
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot withdrew from Julian Assange's extradition case due to a "perception of bias" related to her family's connections to intelligence services and defence industries. Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
February 2020: Court hears arguments on extradition
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments in Julian Assange's case. His lawyers argued that he had been charged with political offenses and therefore could not be extradited.
February 2020: Australian MPs visit Assange and press for intervention
On February 17, 2020, Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Julian Assange and urged the UK and Australian governments to intervene and prevent his extradition.
March 2020: Assange denied bail due to extradition risk
On March 25, 2020, Julian Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19, citing his past conduct to avoid extradition.
June 2020: New indictment filed against Assange
In June 2020, a new indictment alleged that since 2009, Julian Assange had attempted to recruit hackers and system administrators and conspired with hackers from groups like LulzSec and Anonymous.
June 2020: Further Indictments by U.S. Government
In June 2020, the U.S. government unsealed new indictments against Julian Assange, further complicating his legal situation.
September 2020: Assange appears in court on espionage charges
On September 7, 2020, Julian Assange appeared in court, facing the espionage indictment with 18 counts. He was warned by Judge Baraitser after interrupting the US government's lawyer.
2020: US Attorney's Statement on Disappearances
At one of Assange's extradition hearings in 2020, a lawyer for the US said that "sources, whose redacted names and other identifying information was contained in classified documents published by WikiLeaks, who subsequently disappeared, although the US can't prove at this point that their disappearance was the result of being outed by WikiLeaks."
2020: Assange's indictment expanded
In 2020, Assange's indictment was expanded.
2020: Assange's Defence Team Alleges Pardon Offer
In 2020, during his extradition hearings, Assange's defence team claimed the pardon offer from Trump, mediated by Rohrabacher, was made "on instructions from the president".
January 2021: Legal team challenges extradition decision
On August 22, 2022, Julian Assange's legal team lodged a Perfected Grounds of Appeal before the High Court challenging District Judge Vanessa Baraitser's decision of January 4, 2021 with new evidence.
January 2021: Judge rules Assange cannot be extradited
On January 4, 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Julian Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison.
January 2021: Assange denied bail, US appeals extradition denial
On January 6, 2021, Julian Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On January 15, US prosecutors appealed against the denial of extradition.
January 2021: High Court denies Assange permission to challenge ruling
On June 6, 2023, Justice Jonathan Swift denied Julian Assange permission to challenge a January 2021 ruling by Judge Baraitser.
June 2021: Icelandic newspaper publishes interview with key witness
In June 2021, Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the key witness in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Julian Assange, who stated that he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
July 2021: Ecuador Revokes Assange's Citizenship
In July 2021, Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship due to unpaid fees and inconsistencies in his naturalization papers.
July 2021: US assures Crown Prosecution Services regarding Assange's treatment
In July 2021, following the decision that it would be "oppressive" to extradite Assange, the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that Julian Assange would not be subject to special administrative measures or imprisoned at ADX Florence.
August 2021: High Court grants permission to raise suicide risk on appeal
In August 2021, the High Court ruled that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to a misleading report by a defense expert witness and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal in Julian Assange's case.
October 2021: Assange's Lawyers Introduce Alleged Kidnapping Plot
In October 2021, during a hearing in London regarding the U.S. appeal of a ruling against Assange's extradition, his lawyers introduced an alleged plot by the CIA to kidnap Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy after the Vault 7 leaks.
October 2021: High Court holds appeal hearing
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing. The U.S. argued that Julian Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed. Assange's lawyer pointed to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to harm Assange.
November 2021: Legal Action Over Marriage Delay
In November 2021, Assange and Stella Assange said they were preparing legal action for delaying their marriage.
December 2021: High Court rules in favor of the United States
On December 10, 2021, the High Court ruled in favor of the United States, allowing Julian Assange's extradition. The case was remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court to be sent to the home secretary for the final decision.
January 2022: Assange granted permission to petition Supreme Court
On January 24, 2022, Julian Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
April 2022: Extradition of Assange formally approved
On April 20, 2022, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring of the Westminster Magistrates Court formally approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the US and referred the decision to the home secretary.
June 2022: Patel approves Assange extradition
On June 17, 2022, Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, approved the extradition of Julian Assange.
July 2022: Assange lodges appeal against extradition
On July 1, 2022, Julian Assange lodged an appeal against the extradition in the High Court.
August 2022: Legal team lodges appeal challenging extradition decision
On August 22, 2022, Julian Assange's legal team lodged a Perfected Grounds of Appeal before the High Court challenging District Judge Vanessa Baraitser's decision of January 4, 2021 with new evidence.
December 2022: Appeal to European Court of Human Rights declared inadmissible
On December 13, 2022, Julian Assange's further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights was declared inadmissible.
2022: Extradition order signed by Home Secretary Patel
In 2022, Home Secretary Patel signed an extradition order for Assange, which his legal team subsequently appealed.
2022: Lawsuit Filed Against CIA Over Assange Surveillance
In 2022, four associates of Assange filed a lawsuit against the CIA, alleging their civil rights were violated due to being recorded as part of the surveillance operation against Assange.
2022: Spanish Courts Summon Pompeo
In 2022, the Spanish courts summoned Mike Pompeo as a witness to testify on the alleged CIA plans to kidnap or assassinate Assange after the Vault 7 leaks.
2022: Australian Government Opposes Prosecution
In 2022, the incoming Australian Labor government indicated its opposition to the continued prosecution of Assange.
May 2023: Assange's lawyers open to plea deal
In May 2023, Julian Assange's lawyers said they were open to a plea deal but maintained that "no crime has been committed".
June 2023: FBI seeks new evidence in Assange case
In June 2023, The Age reported that the FBI was seeking to gather new evidence in Julian Assange's case, requesting to interview Andrew O'Hagan, who refused to provide a statement against a fellow journalist.
June 2023: High Court dismisses Assange's appeal
On June 6, 2023, the High Court in London dismissed Julian Assange's appeal. Justice Jonathan Swift ruled that "none of the four grounds of appeal raises any properly arguable point".
July 2023: US Rejects Australian Position
In July 2023, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected the Australian government's position, stating that Assange faced serious charges.
August 2023: Potential Plea Deal Flagged
On August 14, 2023, US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy flagged a potential plea deal for Assange.
December 2023: Judge Allows Lawsuit Against CIA to Proceed
In December 2023, a judge ruled that the lawsuit against the CIA, filed by associates of Assange, could proceed, rejecting a CIA motion to dismiss, although the scope of the suit was trimmed.
February 2024: High Court Hearing on Extradition
In February 2024, a two-day hearing began in the High Court regarding Assange's extradition. Assange was too ill to attend, and his legal team requested leave to appeal the extradition order.
February 2024: Australian Parliament Calls for Assange's Release
On February 14, 2024, the Australian House of Representatives passed a motion calling for Assange's immediate release and return to Australia.
April 2024: President Biden Considers Assange's Return
On April 10, 2024, President Biden said that the US was considering the Australian government's call for Assange's return.
May 2024: UK Court Allows Extradition Appeal
In May 2024, the UK High Court ruled that Assange could bring a full appeal against his extradition, increasing pressure on the DOJ to finalize a plea deal.
June 2024: Incarceration in HM Prison Belmarsh
From April 2019 to June 2024, Julian Assange was incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh in London, as the U.S. government's extradition effort was contested in the UK courts.
June 2024: Plea Bargain Agreed
On June 24, 2024, a plea bargain was agreed to, where Assange would plead guilty to one felony count of violating the Espionage Act in exchange for immediate release.
2024: Plea Deal and Return to Australia
In 2024, Julian Assange negotiated a plea deal with US prosecutors, pleading guilty to an Espionage Act charge in exchange for a sentence of time served, which allowed him to return to Australia.
