Lula celebrates meeting with Julian Assange in Rome and hails him as a hero of freedom of expression

247 – During his trip to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met in Rome with journalist and programmer Julian Assange. The meeting was disclosed by the president himself in a social media post this Monday (28). In his post, Lula celebrated Assange's health condition and emphasized the importance of the provided by the late spiritual leader in the campaign that culminated in the release of the WikiLeaks founder. “Last Friday (April 25), I met in Rome with journalist and programmer Julian Assange. We discussed Pope Francis' engagement in the cause of freedom of expression and the defense of democracy. It was after the audience granted by the Pope to Assange’s wife and children in 2023 that the campaign for his release gained new momentum," Lula said.

The president also highlighted his joy in seeing Assange in good health and rebuilding his personal and professional life after years of suffering and imprisonment. “I was very happy to see that Assange is healthy and rebuilding his family and professional life. He is an example for everyone who fights for freedom of the press and human rights,” he added.

The meeting between Lula and Assange carries strong symbolism. Both received, at different times, public demonstrations of solidarity from Pope Francis while being political prisoners. Known for his defense of human rights and critical stance against injustices, Pope Francis played a key role in boosting international movements against lawfare.

The release of Julian Assange, who faced serious risk of extradition and conviction, is internationally seen as a historic victory for independent journalism and the right to information. Lula’s gesture of meeting him in Rome reinforces the centrality of the issue of press freedom in Brazilian foreign policy, especially at a time of global democratic reaffirmation.