For more than a decade, an icon of free speech, WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, was not a free man. His crime was revealing the crimes committed by governments against the people they are supposed to protect.

Our system is based on smoke and mirrors. The deceptions run deep and the crime families that run the world go to extreme lengths to silence those who speak the truth. But some don't crack under pressure. One heroic man, Julian Assange, never gave up, despite the worst the system could throw at him. He believes in freedom, and today, his ordeal came to an end. Well, perhaps in a simplistic view - at least, the end has finally begun.

WikiLeaks, if you somehow don't know about it, is a website that leaks secret government and military documents to the public. Those documents detail heinous crimes, secret deals and plans that prove beyond any doubt that those in power are rotten to the core. There are terrabytes of data incriminating presidents, prime ministers, police and army, politicians, local council members and a lot more. People who steal, plot and murder on our dime, in order to gain personal benefits. If you took even a brief look, you would be stunned by the things that go on behind closed doors.

But Julian's website is not a criminal enterprise. Investigating crimes is not a crime; it's supposed to be the job of the police - sadly, that's not the reality we live in, and many of those police are as dirty as the mafia, taking bribes, facilitating cover-ups, killing inconvenient voices and fueling drug wars for profit and control. It sounds like the plot of a film noir, but it's the modern world and it's nothing new.

Today, I salute Julian Assange and everyone who has supported him in his battle against the system that tried to silence him for telling us the truth. So much of his life has been stolen from him and his family, and the damage has been tremendous. But today, he can begin the long journey of moving on. His strength and determination have been inspirational to millions. His defiance is legendary. His heroism is unquestionable.

Thank you, Julian, for your dangerous and important work. This is a momentous occasion and a victory for humanity over darkness. I look forward to more of the same.