After ten years of fighting for his son's release, John Shipton, the father of Julian Assange, could exhale with great relief on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, a judge on the US Pacific island nation of Saipan freed the founder of WikiLeaks after he entered a guilty plea to breaking US espionage law.
In Canberra, Australia, ahead of his anticipated nighttime arrival by private plane, Assange's family—which included his father, kids, and wife Stella—assembled. This marked the end of an extensive court battle stemming from WikiLeaks' 2010 revelation of hundreds of thousands of classified US defense documents.
When his kid gets there, Shipton said he's going to question him, "Where have you been?" in a subdued Australian manner.
In a parliament interview, he told Reuters, "My faith has never, ever, ever died."
It is a gift that Julian is able to visit his family frequently and go about his daily business when he returns to Australia. The essence of existence is judged against the beauty of the commonplace, according to Shipton.
He claimed to be "divided in two" over the agreement that saw Assange enter a guilty plea to a single espionage charge and claimed that his release would allow him to spend more time with his sons.
Nevertheless, the "political and legal circumstances surrounding it" worried him.
"I believe that publishing criticism of the US government will be difficult for journalists and publishers worldwide," he stated.
Politicians who had supported Assange during his campaign gathered around Shipton in a hall outside the parliament chamber in celebration of Assange's release in Canberra.
Congresswoman Sophie Scamps remarked, "We want to give you a hug."
According to Shipton, Assange will require some time to recuperate from his "monastic life" of seven years spent in the Ecuadorian embassy in London as a self-exile, followed by five years in prison.
Being a part of his son's "practical everyday human life, not the sweep of politics" was something he looked forward to.
"In a 2011 assessment, the US Secret Service stated that we should pursue him and his family to the ends of the globe and financially ruin them. Although it has been costly, I have no complaints because the outcomes are clear to observe," he remarked.
He described the Australian government as "absolutely amazing."
Assange has remarked in the past that his father gave him the "rebel gene." According to Shipton, his son is courteous and personally conservative.
He claimed, "What is revolutionary is his understanding of the internet's ability to provide us with information that can serve as the foundation of knowledge."
"He is just 52 years old." He'll probably find something to do. Next week, he will turn 53. With his current momentum, he will be able to manifest his abilities.
According to Shipton, the family has spent the last ten years doing everything within their power to secure Assange's release.
"A superpower's attempt to destroy an Australian citizen was successfully thwarted by us Australians," he declared.
Shipton's son Gabriel told him about the plea agreement.
Gabriel expressed his relief to Reuters on Wednesday, saying that Julian can now go on with his life and that the ordeal is now done.
