Assange's father says whistleblower ready to fight for release
The health of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is currently serving a 50-week sentence in a UK prison, has stabilized, and he is ready to fight for his release and the freedom of press, Assange's father, John Shipton, said on Wednesday, as cited by the AAP news agency.
"His health has stabilized and his spirit is extremely strong, and [he is] determined to fight for his freedom and for freedom of the press to inform us of what our governments are doing," Shipton said.
Shipton and many supporters of the renowned whistleblower, an Australian native, gathered at Federation Square in the Australian city of Melbourne to celebrate Assange's 48th birthday on Wednesday. Melbourne is one of 60 cities across the globe that joined the celebrations devoted to the event.