News brief

Julian Assange addresses Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The WikiLeaks founder said that he was freed because he “pled guilty to journalism.” In his first public remarks since he was released from prison in June, Mr. Assange testified on Oct. 1 to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which includes lawmakers from 46 European countries, on his detention and conviction. He was released in June after five years in a British prison after he pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets in a deal with Justice Department prosecutors.