Julian Assange is 55 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 3 July 1971.
Australian founder of WikiLeaks, which published secret US military and diplomatic files, freed in 2024 after years of legal battles
Did you know?He spent seven years living inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden and the United States.
Quick facts
Date of birth3 July 1971
Age55
NationalityAustralian
BirthplaceTownsville, Australia
OccupationInternet activist, hacker, programmer
Editor's Take:
Julian Assange made leaking a global force. An Australian programmer, he founded WikiLeaks in 2006. In 2010 it published huge caches of secret US military and diplomatic documents. They revealed civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. Supporters saw him as a champion of press freedom, while critics said he endangered lives. He spent seven years in Ecuador's embassy in London and five in a British prison. In 2024 he made a plea deal and returned home to Australia.
Key Milestones
2006: WikiLeaks – founded
2010: Leaks – Iraq and Afghanistan logs
2012: Embassy – asylum in London
2019: Arrested – held in Belmarsh
Julian Paul Assange ( ə-SAHNZH; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, programmer, and publisher who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He came to international attention in 2010 after WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from Chelsea Manning, a United States Army intelligence analyst: footage of a U.S.
