Julian Assange has often been described - by politicians and stenographers to power in the legacy press - as "not a journalist". Here are some of the awards that give the lie to such vile smears.
IMAGE: Julian Assange was presented the Sydney Peace Award and Gold Medal (2011) in London by Professor Stuart Rees and Mary Kostakidis.for his “conviction that truth matters and that justice depends on it” and for his “courage, leadership and tenacity in journalism and publishing”. SOURCES: Collage from images at Sydney Peace Foundation and Stella Moris Tweet
Over nearly fifteen years, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have had prizes and awards showered over them by journalism, free speech and human rights foundations.
Meanwhile, the bully states of the UK and US, and the US vassal states of Sweden, Australia and Moreno’s Ecuador have only seen fit to award him a prison cell, no doubt hoping he can be entombed there for life. Their minions in the legacy press excuse this with the cry that “he is not a journalist”. In 2019 Caitlin Johnstone explained some of the (mainly legal) reasons they do that.
IMAGE: Stella Moris, in Paris for International Press Freedom Day (May 2022), displays Julian’s International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Australian (MEAA) press cards - for the doubters. SOURCE: Tweet with video.
IMAGE: On International Press Freedom Day 2024 Stella Assange posts a picture of some of the many press cards issued to Julian Assange by press unions around the world. SOURCE: Tweet 3 May 2024
In this compendium we celebrate the recognition of the enormous contribution Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have already made to world-wide truth and justice through their “scientific journalism”, signaled via multiple awards, and hope that the ultimate awards of justice, freedom and peace come soon for Julian, and for the world.
While this compendium lists prizes awarded by official institutions, Julian Assange probably sees, as greater prizes:
The 100% error-free publication record of WikiLeaks,
The education made available to the masses by the WikiLeaks publications about the true behaviours (and motives) of their governments,
The endurance under extreme pressure of their “great library”, and
The successful human rights cases that have been fought using WikiLeaks publications as evidence. Evidence from this library has been cited in academic papers and US court cases more than 45,000 times (see a current search here), and also at The European Court of Human Rights (search).
“This great library built from the courage and sweat of many has had a five-year confrontation with a power without losing a single “book”. At the same time, these “books” have educated many, and in some cases, in a literal sense, let the innocent go free.” - Julian Assange (2015) [Der Spiegel] See also (2016) [YouTube]
Either way, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks already have a track record par excellence. Imagine what could be possible in the future if the persecution of Julian Assange, and the people behind it, were stopped in their tracks.
The method is transparency. The goal is justice. Part of the method is journalism.
2009 Amnesty New Media Award 2009 Award of Distinction from the Prix Ars Electronica
2010 Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence 2010 Time Magazine: Reader's Choice for Time's Person of the Year 2010 Le Monde Man of the Year 2010 Diploma of Honor "Free Dacia" Award (Romania)
2011 Journalist of the Year (Iceland) - (Kristinn Hrafnsson, Wikileaks staff) 2011 Gold Medal for peace with justice from the the Sydney Peace Foundation 2011 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism 2011 Voltaire Award 2011 Walkley Award for Outstanding Contribution to Leadership in Journalism 2011 José Couso Press Freedom Award 2011 Blanquerna Award for Best Communicator 2011 Piero Passetti Journalism Prize (Italy)
2012 Big Brother Award - Hero of Privacy (Jacob Appelbaum for Tor)
2013 Yoko Ono Lennon Courage Award for the Arts 2013 Global Exchange Human Rights Awards People’s Choice Award 2013 Brazillian Press Association Human Rights Award 2013: NY Festival World's Best TV & Films - Silver World Medal
2015 Willy Brandt Prize for political courage (Sarah Harrison)
2016 Quito | Academics call for Julian Assange to win Nobel Peace Prize
2019 Mairead Maguire Nominates Julian Assange for Nobel Peace Prize 2019 A Doctor Honoris Causa recommended at Universidad de La Plata 2019 GUE/NGL (Galizia) whistleblower / journalist prize (shared) 2019 Mexican International Journalism award 2019 DANNY Award for Journalism 2019 Gavin McFadyen Award 2019 The Press Project (Greece): Person of the Year
2020 The Catalonia Dignity Prize 2020 Academic Honoris Causa conferred by the Palais des Académies in Brussels 2020 Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award 2020 Honorary membership of AKI (Anti War Alliance) Norway 2020 Stuttgart Peace Award 2020 Gavin McFadyen special awards: ……… Most Influential Journalist of the Decade award to Julian Assange and .……… Most Influential Publisher of the Decade to WikiLeaks
2022French Prix Éthique (Anticorruption Award) 2022 Nominated for Nobel Prize 2022 Karl Renner Solidarity Award (Austria) 2022 Audálio Dantas trophy (Brasil) 2022 Gunther Wallraff prize (Germany) 2022 Honorary citizenship of Lucera (Italy) 2022 Honorary citizenship of Pescara (Italy) 2022 Honorary card of the Order of Journalists (Italy) 2022 Awarded Keys to Mexico City (Mexico) 2022 Finalist for the Sakharov Prize (European Parliament) 2022 Weizenbaum Prize (Germany) 2022 Entered in Book of Honours (Ligano, Switzerland) 2022 Almudena Grandes Special Award (Spain) 2022 “Ithaka” wins SOHO Audience Award & Best Documentary (UK) 2022 Gavin McFadyen Special Award (Presented 2023): ……… The Journalist Whose Work Most Exemplifies The Importance of a Free Press
2023 Nominated for Nobel Prize2022 (Presented 2023) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship by Naples (Italy) 2023 Awarded honorary card of the Union of Journalists of Campania (Italy) 2023 “Ithaka” wins Amnesty Award at Thassaloniki Film Festival (Greece) 2023 Konrad Wolf Prize (Germany) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship by Reggio Emilia (Italy) 2023 Trinity College Dublin Gold Medal (Ireland) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship by Rome (Italy) 2023 Awarded the Ossietzky Prize 2023 (Norway) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship by Naples(Italy) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship by Modena (Italy) 2023 Granted honorary citizenship of Bari and Strambinello (Italy)
2024 Federico Caffè award (Italy) 2024 Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize 2024 (Venezuela) 2024 Premio Caravella 2024 (Puglia, Italy) 2024 International ethecon Blue Planet Award (Berlin)
IMAGE: Some of the many awards made to Julian Assange for his work with WikiLeaks. These awards were on display at the Frontline club for Press Freedon Day 2024. SOURCE: Stella Assange Tweet 3 May 20204.
See also The Free Assange Interactive Map showing awards, honorary memberships and Day X protest venues. [Map]
2008
2008 April 21: The Economist New Media Award at the Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards
2009 June 2: The New Media Award for “Kenya: The Cry of Blood - Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances, Wikileaks” at the 18th Amnesty International UK Media Awards. You can read the report here.
2009 Sept 7: Award of Distinction from the Prix Ars Electronica in the ‘'Digital Communities’ category
IMAGE: Julian Assange speaking at ARS Electronica (2009). SOURCE: ARS Electronica Tweet and speech at YouTube.
2010
2010 Oct 23:Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence This was presented to Julian Assange by Craig Murray, in the middle of the press conference for the the launch of the Iraq War Logs. [YouTube] Daniel Ellsberg had flown to London for the event.
“Today we honor WikiLeaks, and one of its leaders, Julian Assange, for their ingenuity in creating a new highway by which important documentary evidence can make its way, quickly and confidentially, through the ether and into our in-boxes. Long live the Fifth Estate!”
2010 Dec 13:Time Magazine: Reader's Choice for Time's Person of the Year
“Readers voted a total of 1,249,425 times, and the favorite was clear. Julian Assange raked in 382,020 votes, giving him an easy first place. He was 148,383 votes over the silver medalist, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey.”
2010 Dec 24: Le Monde Names Julian Assange Man of the Year: Le Monde, France
“Tall, thin and elegant, Julian Assange, founder and chief of WikiLeaks, first of all strikes his interlocutors as a talented speaker with a deep and sober voice, who knows how to conduct himself with rigor, humor, emotion - but also sarcasm. Watching him work, one discovers a gifted, ultra-efficient professional: once he begins a project, he dedicates himself to it completely, night and day, to the point of exhaustion.”
2010 Dec 31: Diploma of Honor "Free Dacia" Award (Romania)
Awarded 21 Jan 2011 at Ellingham Hall [cotidianul.ro] “Julian Assange received today in the Ellingham Hall mansion (Norfolk district) the Diploma of Honor "Free Dacia" 2010, awarded by the cotidianul.ro editorial office. It was given to him for special contributions to the freedom of the press and democratic practice. Cotidianul.ro has consistently published articles on the disclosures of the WikiLeaks website, considering its approach as the most spectacular press operation of its electronic age. Unlike the pro-presidential press and many of the European newspapers that incriminated Julian Assange, cotidianul.ro consistently reported on the disclosures of the WikiLeaks website and on Julian Assange's situation, considering his detention in an embarrassing case as an abuse and a great abdication of press freedom.
Cotidianul.ro stood in solidarity with WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, considering that the transparency of the actions of democratic countries cannot be separated from the press, and their internal behavior is always a subject of the press, be it one at the highest level of the contemporary political world.
At 11.45, at Ellingham Hall, Cornel Nistorescu awarded the Honorary Diploma to Julian Assange and discussed the cables sent from Romania.”
See also an article in two parts published by Cotidianul at much the same time: - “Assange the friend of truth” (27 Jan 2011) and - “Assange the friend of truth (part two)” (30 Jan 2011)
See also “Julian Assange Given Press Freedom Award” [CBS News]
2011
2011 March 4:Journalist of the Year (Iceland) - Kristinn Hrafnsson (Wikileaks staff)
“Kristinn said when receiving the award that this was the third time he was getting an award for outstanding work in journalism, but that he had also been fired three times for his work,” NUJ official Frida Bjornsdottir said.
The NUJ revealed its pick of Mr Hrafnsson, “for excellent processing of a video of a helicopter attack in Baghdad” [ie Collateral Murder] and “for his work as a representative for WikiLeaks, an organization that has cooperated with many of the world’s major journalistic entities by publishing important information,” the NUJ said in a statement.”
From PanArmenian.net “It is only the fourth time in the organization’s 14-year history that the prize for extraordinary achievement in promoting peace with justice has been given out. Previous winners are Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Japanese Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda.
Foundation director Professor Stuart Rees said the award was to honor Mr Assange's work in challenging official secrecy. But he accused the Australian government of demonising Mr Assange and aiding U.S. efforts to behave like a totalitarian state.
IMAGE: Sydney Peace Foundation Gold Medal for “exceptional courage in pursuit of human rights“ awarded to Julian Assange in 2011 SOURCE: Stella Assange Tweet 3 May 2024
2011 June 2: Martha GellhornPrize for Journalism
Speech by John Pilger: “The Martha Gellhorn Prize is very different. We believe it’s the most prestigious and sought-after award for journalism in Britain because it recognises that the best journalists are subversives – because the truth is so often subversive.
Let me quote in full why we give it: “This prize is in honour of one of the 20th century’s greatest reporters. It’s awarded to a journalist whose work has penetrated the established version of events and told an unpalatable truth. It’s validated by powerful facts that expose establishment propaganda, or ‘official drivel’, as Martha Gellhorn called it.” […]
“In March 2008, a Pentagon secret document made clear its plans to destroy trust in WikiLeaks. Criminalising and smear would be the methods. One of the ways of fabricating a charge against Julian Assange in Washington is to somehow prove he is not a journalist and is therefore not protected by the First Amendment. We judges were unanimous. The award of the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism repudiates that slur; above all, it honours a remarkable recipient.”
NB Martha Gellhorn was interviewed by (a very young) John Pilger (1983) [Vimeo]
“Liberty Victoria is very pleased to announce the recipients of our 2011 Voltaire Award are Wikileaks and Julian Assange …
Liberty President Spencer Zifcak said Liberty was proud to be continuing the Voltaire Award tradition. 'Free speech is a fundamental civil liberty. In standing for openness and accountability in government, Wikileaks has made a signal contribution to its advancement nationally and internationally.
No one can doubt the sincerity and courage of the Wikileak's organisation and Julian Assange in the face of powerful legal intimidation by many Western governments including our own.' ” [Democratic Underground]
Stuart Rees gave the “2011 Liberty Victoria Voltaire Address” in respect of Julian Assange at the dinner. [Vimeo]
Award speech by Julian Assange (pre-recorded) [YouTube]
2011 Nov 27: Walkley Award for Outstanding Contribution to Leadership in Journalism (The Walkley Awards are Australia’s highest prizes for journalism)
IMAGE: From Australia, the 2011 Walkley Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism SOURCE: Stella Assnage Tweet 3 May 2024
See also ”Glenn Greenwald comments on WikiLeaks Winning Major Australian Journalism Prize” [YouTube] [Transcript]. This video includes part of Julian’s speech. The audio for the full speech is also available, but with very poor visuals. [YouTube]
Julian Assange: We journalists are at our best when we share with activists and lawyers the goal of exposing illegality and wrongdoing, when we help to hold others to account. This award is a sign of encouragement to our people and other people who labor under difficult conditions in this task.
Our lives have been threatened. Attempts have been made to censor us. Banks have attempted to shut off our financial lifeline. An unprecedented banking blockade has shown us that Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, the Bank of America and Western Union are mere instruments of Washington foreign policy. Censorship has, in this manner, been privatized.
Powerful enemies are testing the waters to see how much they can get away with, seeing how they can abuse the system that they are integrated with to prevent scrutiny. Well, the answer is, they can get away with too much. I expected the hate speech on Fox News, but not the calls by U.S. senators for the extrajudicial assassination of myself and my staff. Neither did I expect that the United States would aggressively undermine its own Constitution to persecute me and my organization. But I can understand the Washington elite’s reaction. Washington is waging a war against the truth. It was, after all, the truth about Washington and their friends that we revealed.
Glenn Greenwald: “There is no question that the award is justifiable and very well deserved. It is without question true that WikiLeaks is responsible for producing more journalistic scoops over the last 18 months than every single media outlet in the world combined. You can barely read a story about any important regionin the world without making reference to what was revealed by those diplomatic cables.”
The organizers want to personalize in the figure of Couso all those journalists, Galician or not, who every year are murdered, abused or deprived of their rights as people and as informants.
The aim of this award, consisting of a statuette by the sculptor Manuel Patinha entitled " As Ceibes ", is to recognize and disseminate the work of a living person or existing organization prominent in the defense of press freedom or with a remarkable career, free and independent.
2011: The Blanquerna Award for Best Communicator NB Evidence of this award seems to have disappeared from the internet See Blanquerna
2011 The International Piero Passetti Journalism Prize of the National Union of Italian Journalists NB Evidence of this award seems to have disappeared from the internet See L'Unione Nazionale Cronisti Italiani "Premio Cronista - Piero Passetti" [unionecronisti]
2012
2012 Oct 26: Big Brother Award - Hero of Privacy-Vienna (Jacob Appelbaum for Tor) At the time of this award, Appelbaum was still with WikiLeaks. His acceptance speech touches on Cypherpunks which he co-authored with Julian Assange. [YouTube]
2013 Feb 3: The Yoko Ono Lennon Courage Award for the Arts
Yoko Ono Lennon “This 2013 Courage Award for the Arts is presented to Julian Assange. With your courage the truth was revealed to us - thank you - and gave us wisdom and power to heal the world. On behalf of the suffering world, I thank you.”
Ms Ono later added:
[Imagine Peace] “Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office; that the information they keep in secrecy belongs to all of us. Julian Assange took a courageous step by rightfully returning what belongs to the public domain. For that reason, I believe we need to stand behind him.”
Julian Assange sent a written acceptance to be read out, in which he specifically named some key people, including Chelsea Manning, Jeremy Hammond and Aaron Swartz, and thanked his team, lawyers and supporters. [TwitLonger]
The award was accepted on Julian’s behalf by Baltasar Garzón, Ricardo Patiño (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ecuador) [transcript of speech] Michael Ratner and Daniel Ellsberg. See [Imagine Peace]
2013 April 9: Global Exchange Human Rights Awards: People’s Choice Award.
Julian's acceptance speech was read by Daniel Ellsberg. Text version [Global Exchange]
2013 Sept 17: The Brazillian Press AssociationHuman Rights Award
The Committee for the Defense of Press Freedom and Human Rights of the Brazilian Press Association (ABI), the Union of Professional Journalists of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Professional Journalists of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro, and the Mais Democracia Institute [announce], the ceremony for the delivery of the Medal of Human Rights, for services rendered to humanity, the right to citizenship and the right to information to Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, Bradley Manning, and Aaron Swartz [and] Mordechai Vanunu.
2013: The NY Festival World's Best TV & Films - Silver World Medal for “The Julian Assange Show - Ep 1 Nassan Nasralla” [NYFestivals]
Unfortunately all ten episodes of the Julian Assange Show, which were broadcast on RT, have now been censored by YouTube [ALT version here], and the NY Festivals site seems to have gone down the memory-hole.
2014
2014 June 24 The Kazakstan Union of JournalistsTop Prize
“The Union of Journalists in Kazakhstan (KZO) has awarded a top prize to Julian Assange, the founder of the controversial whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, for his oustanding [sic] efforts in investigative journalism.
KZO Chairman Seyitqazy Mataev said on June 24 that the award was given to Assange because WikiLeaks had provided plenty of "interesting" material that was used by journalists in Kazakhstan.
Mataev said the award -- a trophy and an undisclosed amount of cash -- will be sent to Assange by mail.
2015 Oct 19: Willy Brandt Prize for political courage (to Sarah Harrison)
Sarah Harrison acceptance speech: “It is a honour to be here today to accept the Willy Brant Award for Political Courage for my work with WikiLeaks, in getting Edward Snowden asylum, and for my political statements - many of which have called for Germany's protection of Edward Snowden and my Editor Julian Assange.
I do not do this work alone however - there are of course others that I work with behind the scenes - our researchers, art and design team, journalist and legal teams, and our dedicated technical team. The successes you honour me with today would not be possible alone and I share this award with them. […] Like me, Willy Brandt worked as a journalist, unable to go home, for a number of years. Escaping the Nazis, Brandt worked as a journalist in exile before finally returning to Germany and entering politics here. Whilst I have no plans to enter politics, I am a journalist at WikiLeaks who, due to legal advice regarding the UK's misuse of the terrorism act, has been advised not to go home.
My country, the UK, like others around the world at the moment, is using the term "national security" incorrectly as fearmongering in an attempt to justify their stripping us of our rights. Despite the proof that it does nothing to the real, or the more prevalent imagined, threat of terrorism, the UK and other states around the world are spying on their own citizens, violating numerous human rights
2016 In Quito | AcademicsCall for Julian Assange to Win Nobel Peace Prize
“Intellectuals from around the world are gathering in Quito, Ecuador this week to amplify the international call for Julian Assange’s release and for his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, along with whistleblowers Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden. […]
The "Julian Assange, 4 Years of Freedom Denied" forum, organized by the International Center for Advanced Studies in Communications in Latin America (CIESPAL), brings together academics to discuss the Wikileaks founder in the context of geopolitics from the South, the Panama Papers and cyberwar, among other topics. See TelesurEnglish
2019
2019 Jan 7: Mairead Maguire Nominates Julian Assange for Nobel Peace Prize
In her letter to the Nobel Peace Committee, Ms. Maguire said:
“Julian Assange and his colleagues in Wikileaks have shown on numerous occasions that they are one of the last outlets of true democracy and their work for our freedom and speech. Their work for true peace by making public our governments’ actions at home and abroad has enlightened us to their atrocities carried out in the name of so-called democracy around the world. This included footage of inhumanity carried out by NATO/Military, the release of email correspondence revealing the plotting of regime change in Eastern Middle countries, and the parts our elected officials paid in deceiving the public. This is a huge step in our work for disarmament and nonviolence worldwide. More
”“Over the years there have been controversies over the Nobel Peace Prize and some of those to whom it has been awarded. Sadly, I believe it has moved from its original intentions and meaning. It was Alfred Nobel’s will that the prize would support and protect individuals at threat from Government forces in their fight for nonviolence and peace, by bringing awareness to their precarious situations. Through awarding Julian Assange the Nobel Peace Prize, he and others like him, will receive the protection they truly deserve.
“It is my hope that by this we can rediscover the true definition of the Nobel Peace Prize.
“I also call on all people to bring awareness to Julian’s situation and support him in his struggle for basic human rights, freedom of speech, and peace.””
2019 Apr 15: Recommended for an Honorary Doctorate at Universidad de La Plata, Argentina [perio-unlp]
“The Board of Directors of the Faculty of Journalism and Social Communication unanimously approved to submit to the Superior Council of the UNLP the proposal to grant the title Doctor Honoris Causa to the journalist and founder of Wikileaks Julian Paul Assange.
During an extraordinary session, the councilors considered that the extradition and imprisonment of Assange are direct attacks on freedom of expression and those who reveal the truth. Furthermore, the highest governing body of our academic unit, among the arguments of the initiative, highlighted the value of the journalist and his investigations.
For his part, Vice Dean Pablo Bilyk, who led the activity, explained that what happened yesterday in London with the creator of Wikileaks was a clear movement by the president of Ecuador Lenín Moreno, who carries out a policy similar to that of the United States. which has negative interference in several states in the region.
“Assange published details about the deaths of civilians and clandestine military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also investigated the operation of the US embassies and their actions to attack the popular governments of Latin America and the world,” said Professor Carlos Ciappina.
For the student body, counselor Emilia Eizmendi indicated that what is sought is to instruct all those who dare to challenge power and want to know the truth about the dark dealings of the United States and its links with the hegemonic media and with the regional leaders of the right.
NB This doctorate ultimately was not awarded, as the federal government, under Macri, intervened to refuse it at the superior council level.
Named in honour of the murdered Maltese investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, the three have been honoured for their work in exposing the truth, and for their courage in risking their careers and personal freedom.
[See nomination for the prize by the Courage Foundation] [See ceremony on facebook (from 1:01:22)] [YouTube] Mairead Maguire (Nobel Laureate) accepted the award on Julian’s behalf.
2019 Jun 10: Julian Assange receives 4th Annual DANNY Award for Journalism
Julian Assange has been granted the 2019 Danny Schechter Global Vision Award for Journalism & Activism by not-for-profit educational foundation The Global Center. As a press release announcing the award explains, The DANNY is “awarded annually to an individual who best emulates Schechter’s practice of combining excellent journalism with social advocacy and activism.”
The DANNY Award announcement warns, ”The Assange case represents a threat not only to freedom of expression but also to the heart of American democracy itself.”
Screengrab from defend.wikileaks (link to the press release no longer working}
2019 Sep 3: The Gavin McFadyen Award - awarded BY whistleblowers
Announced by Eileen Chubb [Tweet] and presented outside HMP Belmarsh to John Shipton on Julian’s behalf [Tweet] [Tweet] [Tweet with video]
2019 Dec 31: The Press Project (Greece): Person of the Year
“At this moment Assange is in danger. We may reach a point of no return, where the game will already have been lost, and anyone who in the future is minded to stand up to the powerful will know that they will first have to face smear campaigns and then defeat. That’s why we need to talk about Assange right now.
We have to speak up about what’s happening as loudly and clearly as we can; we have to speak about the attempts out there to terrorize investigative journalism.
It is for these reasons, at a moment when not only the outcome of his case but indeed his very fate is set to be decided, we have decided to name Julian Assange ThePressProject’s Person of the Year. Because, at a time when everyone stands in fear, not only for their lives and freedom but for their jobs or even just their next promotion, Assange reminds us what it means not to be afraid, and to be willing to make sacrifices rather than deals for this profession.”
2020 Jan 10: Assange awarded The Dignity Prize by Catalonia
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been awarded a major prize, despite being behind bars in London’s Belmarsh prison.
The Catalan Dignity Commission has honoured Mr Assange with its 2019 Dignity Prize after he raised awareness about the plight of the Catalans in the lead up to the 2017 independence vote.
The prize recognises his efforts to correct misreporting, and to provide updates to the world on brutal crackdowns in Spain.
Screengrab from news.com.au (now memory-holed) and replaced by news.com.au (possibly due to the courtroom photo on the original version).
The Sign Of The Times website went into more depth - important, as Moreno’s Ecuador claimed that it was Julian’s tweets about Catalonia that were the final straw for them, “forcing” Ecuador to gag him. [SOTT]
The Catalan Dignity Commission has honoured him with its 2019 Dignity Prize for raising awareness around the world about the plight of the Catalans in the lead up to the 2017 independence vote.
Announced on Friday, the prize recognises his efforts to correct misreporting of events and to provide live video updates to the world of the peaceful Catalan protesters and the brutal crackdown on them by Spanish police.
The advice Assange gave to Catalans on how to use apps to avoid Spanish Government shut downs was also acknowledged.
The prizes which began in 2002, reward, symbolically, the people and organisations who have worked towards protecting Civil Rights and heightening historical memory and democratic values in any area of public life.
Assange's mother Christine said "This deeply meaningful Dignity Award from the Catalan Dignity Commission in gratitude for Julian's courageous journalism, recognises the essence of his belief and practice, that a fierce free, truthful and independent media holding Governments and other powerful entities accountable to the people, is the most important protection we have to defend freedom and democracy."
2020 Jan 29: Academic Honoris Causa conferred by the Palais des Académies in Brussels [Tweet]
“Julian Assanges' Father accepts first Academic Honoris Causa at the Palais des Académies in Brussels on belhalf of his son”
“Julian Assange's father receives, from the hands of @engelvincent, the first Academic Honoris Causa at the Palais des Academies in Brussels for #AssangeDay. Formidable Belgian mobilization in defense of investigative journalism and whistleblowers. ”
See also EFJ “Assange, Snowden, Manning and Harrison are the resistance fighters of the 21st century” [EuropeanJournalists]
2020 Feb 10: Assange wins Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award
From Consortium News: [Article] “Robert Parry, the late founder and editor of Consortium News, was a staunch defender of Assange’s rights. In 2010, he wrote: “Though American journalists may understandably want to find some protective cover by pretending that Julian Assange is not like us, the reality is – whether we like it or not – we are all Julian Assange.”
The award is named after journalist Gary Webb whose life was cut short after the mainstream press vilified him for accurate reports about a CIA operation that flooded urban areas of the U.S. with cocaine from Nicaragua.
Journalist and filmmaker John Pilger, a member of the Consortium News board, said: “Having been close to Julian Assange through much of his struggle against corrupt power, I had no hesitation in voting for him for the Gary Webb prize. While Gary was a tragedy at the end, Julian must be a triumph.”
See presentation (below)
The award was presented by Joe Lauria, Editor of Consortium News, to Kristinn Hrafnsson, now Editor of WikiLeaks (on Julian’s behalf) outside HMP Belmarsh (23 Feb 2020). [YouTube]
2020 Apr 3: Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning & Edward Snowden awarded honorary memberships of AKI (Anti War Alliance) Norway
From their website [AKI] “… Each of the three has acted at great personal cost and is suffering for his sacrifice now. We can do nothing but admire the courage and the steadfastness shown by the three.
Julian Assange and WikiLeaks came into the public light in 2010 when they published tens of thousands of classified documents from the United States, known as Afghan War Diaries and Iraq War Logs. The papers documented more than 100,000 civilian deaths as a result of the respective occupations. A number of compromising leaks made known through WikiLeaks show that states operate outside international law and act as though international jurisdiction doesn’t apply to them. Without Assange and WikiLeak’s operations, these conditions would very likely never have been known.”
From Pressenza Athens: [website] “Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks imprisoned in London for a year, received the Stuttgart Peace Prize 2020. The prize is awarded by Die Anstifter and aims to promote the right to unconditional freedom of information and of the press.
Annette Ohme-Reinicke, president of Die Anstifter, said the crackdown on Assange was also against comprehensive political information for all.
Heike Hänsel, Member of Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Die Linke parliamentary group, said: “I am very happy with this award given to Julian Assange, who has suffered political persecution from the United States for years due to his journalistic work and who is now in danger of extradition to the United States. This award recognizes investigative journalism and is a strong message in defense of press freedom. Recognizing the peaceful and political dimension of the work of the founder of Wikileaks is for him a very important support. As British justice treats Julian Assange as a dangerous criminal and keeps him in the most secure prisons, Assange is awarded this tribute for the US war crimes revelations in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am waiting for the German government and the EU to stop being blind and finally offer political asylum to Julian Assange. ”
Screengrab from a google-translated version of swr.de (now memory-holed). Pressenza is still showing their version though..
2020 Oct 22: Gavin McFadyen Most Influential Journalist of the Decade award to Julian Assange and Most Influential Publisher of the Decade to WikiLeaks
IMAGE: Gavin McFadyen Most Influential Journalist of the Decade award to Julian Assange SOURCE: Stella Assange Tweet 3 May 2024
2021
2021 June 9 Sacco & Vanzetti Award Boston
From Consortium News [article] “The Community Church of Boston presented its 2021 Sacco-Vanzetti Memorial Award for Social Justice to WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange on Wednesday. Accepting the award for the imprisoned Assange was his father and brother, John and Gabriel Shipton who are on a 17-city U.S. tour. Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was among the speakers.
“There was a standing ovation in Paris when Julian #Assange received France's anticorruption award on Saturday. I accepted the award on Julian's behalf.”
2022 Jan 31: Assange again nominated for the Nobel Prize
“Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.
Fiercely hated by the US establishment for his exposure of American conduct in its invasion of Iraq, his supporters say that the fate of Assange will portend the survival or destruction of journalism itself.
Chris Hedges of “On Contact,” who has been closely following the case, joins Faran Fronczak to share his insights on the latest from the case.”
Screengrab from YouTube (since censored). See also Environmentalists Against the War for more details [EAW]
2022 Feb 28: Karl Renner Solidarity Award (Austria)
“Vienna – The Austrian Journalists' Club (ÖJC) awarded its journalism prizes for 2021 in Vienna on Monday. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was awarded the Dr. Karl Renner Solidarity Award. As he is currently incarcerated, his fiancée, Stella Moris, accepted it for him.”
From Brasil website: [abraji] “Oboré and other institutions that defend democracy, press freedom and human rights will hold the celebration of Journalist's Day this Saturday, April 9, 2022, starting at 11 am, at Vladimir Herzog Memorial Square, in São Paulo. The event includes the delivery of the Audálio Dantas Trophy - Indignação, Coragem, Esperança , which honors professionals who have distinguished themselves in the defense of journalism.
Supported by Abraji , this year's award will go to Julian Assange, journalist and founder of Wikileaks, and the Consortium of Press Vehicles. Representatives of the honorees will receive the trophy, which features the figure of Saint George mounted on his dragon, wielding a camera and a microphone. The awards will be held on two occasions, the first on Saturday and the other on April 23, 2022.”
“Julian Assange's wife collected the Gunther Wallraff prize on behalf of her husband in Germany on Thursday. The imprisoned WikiLeaks publisher continues his fight against extradition and a 175 year sentence for publishing truthful information, including revealing war crimes.” [Tweet]
“Julian Assange has made a significant investigative contribution to the news by revealing classified footage and text of possible US war crimes. In his work with the Internet platform WikiLeaks, Assange has always accepted immense reprisals in favor of reporting. The relentless pursuit of the investigative journalist Assange by the USA with the threat of extradition now poses a threat to free reporting in general,” was the jury’s reasoning.” [PressRelease]
2022 June 29: Assange awarded honorary citizenship of city of Lucera (Italy) [MorningStar]
“Lucera is the first municipality to officially grant citizenship to Mr Assange; his supporters hope that more will be inspired to follow suit. […]
Party leader Marco Rizzo condemned the recent decision by the British government to approve the United States’s request for Mr Assange’s extradition to face charges under the draconian Espionage Act.
He hit out at the hypocricy of those countries that claim to be democracies for failing to side with “this information hero” and denounced the credence given to “phantom persecutions” of Cuban, Russian and Chinese dissidents “that nobody knows in these countries and who are artificial creators of Western propaganda.”
2022 August 10: Tally of Nobel Prize nominations for Julian Assange now at 17.
Assange supporter Paula Iasella offers a recount of the number of nominations Julian has received to date (currently 17), as well as a link to those noted on the official website.
2022 September 4: Julian Assange awarded honorary citizenship of Pescara, Italy [Tweet] [Pressenza]
"Pescara also joins the chorus of those who, all over the world, reaffirm the defense of the right to freedom of the press of which Julian Assange, with his human story, represents a symbol" declared the councilor after the vote in the civic assembly. Alone. The recognition of honorary citizenship has a symbolic value but, the three councilors underline, helps to "keep attention on the matter" and testifies how "even the Pescara community feels it has to make its own contribution to the defense of ideals such as right to information and transparency."
2022 September 5: Julian Assange receives honorary card of the Order of Journalists [Tweet] [ODG.it]
“Defending Assange means defending the right of the press, freedom of information and the safety of whistleblowers. - said the president of the Order Carlo Bartoli showing the honorary card for Assange at the authors' house in Venice - For this reason we have decided to enroll Julian Assange in the Order of Journalists. If an English court decides to extradite him to the US, in England - which was the cradle of the right of the press - the funeral of freedom of information will be celebrated "
“From Monday 5 September 2022 Julian Assange has been a member of the Order of Italian Journalists. President Carlo Bartoli with the secretary Paola Spadari officially handed over to Venice the honorary card of the Australian journalist, founder of WikiLeaks who risks being extradited to the United States, "guilty" of having revealed heinous war crimes and therefore accused of espionage.
The card was virtually delivered to Stefania Maurizi, her close collaborator connected online with the Casa degli Autori on the Venice Lido, where the event was held, promoted by the Audiovisual Archive of the Labor and Democratic Movement and by the Articolo21 association, in collaboration with the National Federation of the Italian Press and the Order of Journalists.”
2022 September 16: Awarded Keys to Mexico City (Mexico) [Tweet with images] [Tweet with video] [Interview] John and Gabriel Shipton represented Julian Assange in Mexico for their celebrations of their Independence Day. Julian’s father accepted the Keys to the City on behalf of Julian Assange.
2022 October 12: Nominated for Europe’s Sakharov Prize [Website] [Nominees] [Tweet] [YouTube] - Then shortlisted October 13 [Tweet] [EuroParlAV] - (Winner was “The people of Ukraine”)
2022 October 14: Awarded the FIfF Weizenbaum Prize (Germany) [FIfF blog] [NetzPolitik] Award ceremony 22 Oct 2022 [media.ccc.de] The Forum for Computer Scientists for Peace and Social Responsibility (FIfF) is a Germany-wide association of people who deal critically with the effects of the use of computer science and information technology on society.
“This year, the Weizenbaum Prize for Peace and Social Responsibility will also be awarded to Julian Assange. Assange is an eminent journalist who has shown how creative use of technology can be used to expose structures of domination by founding Wikileaks, a digital anonymous whistleblowing mailbox. Among other things, he helped to uncover covered-up war crimes by the USA, brazen lies by politicians regarding state torture and publicly relevant NSA secret documents regarding the surveillance of EU citizens.For this reason, he himself has been subjected to systematic torture by Great Britain and the USA for years.” [FIfF blog]
“Julian Assange received this year's Weizenbaum Prize for Peace and Social Responsibility for his work as an "outstanding journalist", for his "creative use of technology" and for his merits and courage . His wife, the lawyer Stella Assange, will accept the award on Saturday, October 22, in Berlin on his behalf.
The prize is named after Joseph Weizenbaum . The influential computer scientist and peace activist, who would have turned 100 next year, publicly refused to work on the development of electronic elements for weapon systems during the Vietnam War. [NetzPolitik]
2022 October 27: The City of Lugano, Switzerland, honoured Julian Assange by recording the visit of his family in their Book of Honours. [Tweet]
2022 November 19: Madrid, Spain, awards the Almudena Grandes Special Award for defending the right to information to Julian Assange. [Tweet] [InfoLibre] Award ceremony 25 Nov 2022
“This year the infoLibre Awards launch a new category , the Almudena Grandes Special Award for defending the right to information , awarded to the founding journalist of WikiLeaks Julian Assange , which will be collected by his partner, Stella Assange , together with a member of his team legal Baltasar Garzón.”
Award ceremony 25 Nov 2022. Prize accepted by Stella Moris. [Tweet with video]
2022 November 20: “Ithaka” wins SOHO Audience Award & Best Documentary (UK) Director: Ben Lawrence, Producer: Gabriel Shipton [Tweet] [Tweet]
“Wow! @IthakaMovie has won the Best Documentary award AND the Audience Award at @soholondonfilm#SohoLIFF!!! Can't wait to tell Julian about it! Thank you to the judges and to everyone who voted! #FreeAssangeNOW. - Stella Moris
2022 (Presented 2023): Gavin MacFadyen Award Special Category: ……… The Journalist Whose Work Most Exemplifies The Importance of a Free Press
IMAGE: The 2022 Gavin MacFadyen Award Secial Category for The Journalist Whose Work Most Exemplifies The Importance of a Free Press SOURCE: Stella Assange Tweet 3 May 2024
The award was presented 28 January 2023 by Jeremy Corbyn and accepted on Julian’s behalf by Craig Murray at the event “Secret Power, Media Freedom and Democracy” in London. [YouTube]
2023
2023 January 31 Assange again nominated for the Nobel Prize
Nominated by Prof Marcello Ferrada de Noli [The Indicter]
2023 January 31(b) Awarded honorary citizenship of the city of Naples, Italy
[pressenza] “With a large majority, the City Council of Naples today approved the granting of honorary citizenship to Julian Assange, adhering to the appeal launched by Adolfo Pérez Esquivel.
This is the first major European city, capital of the region, which grants citizenship to the Australian journalist currently detained in London and awaiting extradition to the United States …
2023 March 1 Awarded honorary card of the Union of Journalists of Campania (Italy)
Accepted on Julian’s behalf by Stefania Maurizi and Kristinn Hrafnsson [Tweet]
2023 March 12 “Ithaka” wins Amnesty International Award at Thassaloniki Documentary Film Festival (Greece)
2023 July 11German Academy of Arts awards the Konrad Wolf Prize 2023to Julian Assange [DE adk] [EN adk]
“The Academy of Arts awards the Konrad Wolf Prize 2023 to the journalist, publicist and publisher Julian Assange. The EUR 5,000 prize is named after the film director and long-standing President of the GDR Academy of Arts. This year's jury was made up of Thomas Heise and Nele Hertling , both members of the Senate of the Academy of Arts, together with screenwriter Thomas Wendrich.
From the jury's statement: [machine translated from the German] "Through Julian Assange's work and attitude, we have learned about illegal state action, about injustice, murders and war crimes, things that are for the public, for citizens - for all of us - in the dark, gone, invisible should stay. It is the disclosure of financial flows and hidden accounts, official e-mail correspondence, images of murdered unarmed civilians and journalists in Iraq by members of the US army, arbitrary killings of civilians in Afghanistan, secret service projects to manipulate public opinion , about humiliation and torture in Abu Graib prison photographed by laughing perpetrators, and about the conditions in the still existing prison camp in the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba, reminding us what waterboarding is all about. The list is not complete. Julian Assange's Wikileaks disseminates information about this - our - reality so that we, citizens, can recognize and act on it. 'We Open Governments' So we know. This is a democratic act. Julian Assange is a worthy laureate whose work exposes Wikileaks government action, wartime lies and crimes, cover-ups. Julian Assange's work is journalistic enlightenment in the best sense of the word. Changing the world democratically, she needs it.” 'We Open Governments' So we know. This is a democratic act. Julian Assange is a worthy laureate whose work exposes Wikileaks government action, wartime lies and crimes, cover-ups. Julian Assange's work is journalistic education in the best sense of the word. Changing the world democratically, she needs it.” 'We Open Governments' So we know. This is a democratic act. Julian Assange is a worthy laureate whose work exposes Wikileaks government action, wartime lies and crimes, cover-ups. Julian Assange's work is journalistic enlightenment in the best sense of the word. Changing the world democratically, she needs it.”
The ceremony will take place 22 Oct 2023. NB See Stella Assange accepting the award on behalf of her husband at that ceremony here [Tweet with video]
IMAGE: Stella Assange accepts the Konrad Wolf Prize 2023 in Berlin on behalf of Julian Assange. SOURCE: [Tweet]
2023 Sept 18: Awarded honorary citizenship of the city of Reggio Emilia (Italy) [reggionline]
“Reggio Emilia: honorary citizenship for Julian Assange. VIDEOS & INTERVIEWS”
IMAGE: Foto di Movimento Free Assange Reggio Emilia SOURCE: [Pressenza]
The award was conferred on 7 Dec 2023 and accepted by Stella Assange on her husband’s behalf.
2023 Oct 3: Trinity College Dublin awards their Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Public Discourse to Julian and Stella Assange (Ireland)
Accepted in person by Stella Assange. [Tweet with video] [Tweet with images]
2023 Oct 18: Granted honorary citizenship by Rome (Italy) [Wanted by Rome]
“Rome first capital city in world to confer honour on Assange.
Rome city councillors on Tuesday approved a motion to grant honorary citizenship to imprisoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, weeks after Naples voted to do the same.” See also [Twitter] and [Facebook]
Further progress in completing this honorary citizenship was achieved in mid January 2024: [Tweet] [Tweet]
Stella Assange: Amazing! Rome City Council has approved Honorary Citizenship for Julian Assange! Assange civis romanus!
See alsoVincenzo Vita “Assange civis romanus” [Articulo21]
“Last October the Capitoline Assembly had already expressed its opinion, starting the formal procedure. The final stage of the process will take place in the Giulio Cesare hall, hopefully by the end of January.”
2023 Oct 19: Awarded the Ossietzky Prize 2023 (Norway) [NRK]
“Julian Assange is awarded the Ossietzky Prize 2023 for his critical press work and his efforts to report on objectionable circumstances in the US and its allies' warfare.
- The right to information is a prerequisite for democracy. To conduct investigative journalism is to systematically uncover critical social conditions and abuse of power. This is precisely what Julian Assange did by publishing revelations of serious war crimes, says Ann-Magrit Austenå, chairman of Norsk PEN.
As a publicist and editor, Julian Assange has played an important role in exposing the serious war crimes committed by the United States and its allies in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the illegal imprisonment and torture of prisoners at Guantánamo.”
The prize was accepted by Stella Assange on behalf of her husband Julian Assange on 15 November 2023. [PEN Norway]
“During the award ceremony, the President of PEN Norway, Ann-Magrit Austenå, said that the treatment Julian Assange has been subjected to constitutes violations of the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit torture and inhuman treatment.
“Without the leaked documents published by Julian Assange, we would not have had this insight,” she said.
“If Julian Assange is extradited to the United States, the very core of press freedom is under attack and could mark a significant historical setback for independent, critical journalism.”
2023 Nov 10: Granted honorary citizenship by Naples (Italy) [Tweet]
”The official document conferring honorary citizenship of the City of Naples (Napoli) to imprisoned journalist and WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. The ceremony took place with the mayor at Castel Nuovo, which dates back to the 1200s.” [Tweet] Also now a video is available. [YouTube]
2023 Dec 11: Awarded honorary citizenship of Modena (Italy) [ModenaToday]
“Last Thursday the Modena city council formally decided that Julian Assange will be an honorary citizen. It's in fact, the motion presented by the 5 Star Movement was approved, similar to the one already approved in recent weeks in Castelfranco Emilia.”
2023 Dec 29: Awarded honorary citizenship of Bari and Strambinello (Italy) [Tweet]
“MORE AND MORE CITIES in Italy on #freeAssange 's side. Yesterday honorary citizenship was approved in Bari and Strambinello ”
2024
2024 Mar 22: Awarded the Federico Caffè award (Perugia, Italy) [ANSA]
“Stella Assange, wife of Julian, the Australian journalist and activist, co-founder of Wikileaks, will be in Perugia for the "Federico Caffè" award, a two-day event dedicated to the economist. "Economic Policy at the Service of People" is the theme of the initiative. The meeting in Perugia - explain the organizers - focuses on the importance of human and social aspects in the definition and implementation of economic policies, which was one of the central points of Caffè's reflection. At 4pm on Friday [22 March 2024], in the second room of Economics, the Caffè Group, made up of around 700 members who recognize themselves in the work and example of the economist, will award the prize named after him to the economist to some illustrious people who have are distinguished in the fields of economic policy, business and journalism.” “His wife Stella will collect the Award for Julian Assange.”
“ “Australian journalist and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange received the special journalism award in Caracas, Venezuela, on Monday, July 1. The annual award known as the Simón Bolívar National Journalism Prize is in its 82nd edition, is awarded by the Venezuelan government and has 10 categories.
Assange was honored for producing “brave and fearless journalism in the age of truth as the essence of defending freedom of expression and people’s right to information.” [...] According to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the special award to the Australian journalist was given fairly to a man “who has always been free.”
“A well-deserved award, well-deserved to Julian Assange who today walks free in the streets. But he was always free in the dungeons, in the prisons, in the kidnappings, he was always a free man. Here I have it, it goes to you on behalf of all the people of Venezuela,” said Maduro. […] Maduro congratulated the award winners and honorees for “bringing the truth and, in doing so, bringing justice to the country.” The president also praised TeleSur’s coverageof last week’s coup attempt in Bolivia . …”
Prize for Julian Assange (accepted by Kristin Hrafnsson), and Stefania Maurizi
2024 Sept 21 International ethecon Blue Planet Award (Berlin) [Announcement PDF] [Acceptance Tweet]
“Berlin, international Day of Peace, 21. September 2024 Honouring Julian Assange Human rights and peace activist from Australia
The Board of Trustees and Executive Board of ethecon Foundation Ethics & Economics honour Julian Assange, peace and human rights activist from Australia, with the International ethecon Blue Planet Award 2024 for his outstanding observance of fundamental ethical and moral principles in the area of conflict between ethics and economics, thus protecting the Blue Planet and defending it against the danger of becoming a dead, uninhabitable planet.
He opposes oppression, exploitation, human rights violations, the destruction of nature, social misery and war in an outstanding manner. Julian Assange has always acted in a spirit of solidarity, characterised by honest motives and with no personal gain in mind. He accepts conflicts with rulers and disadvantages to life and limb or his own existence without hesitation for the social and peace policy interests of his fellow human beings. He demonstrates what is commonly known as social responsibility and empathy.
In a world increasingly focussed on profit as the sole criterion for all decisions and development, Julian Assange defends the interests of humanity in resistance to the interests of the powerful. Often disadvantaged, marginalised and oppressed. Exposed to inhumane prison conditions, tortured (UN assessment in the "Assange case"), severely damaged health and threatened with possible death. He is one of those who strengthens humanity in the fight for peace, justice and the protection of the environment.
Julian Assange will be recognised and personally honoured with the International ethecon Blue Planet Award 2024. On behalf of all those who are committed to saving the Blue Planet and opposing its demise to a dead, uninhabitable planet. May his award be an incentive for him and his actions a shining example for us all! Accordingly, the International ethecon Blue Planet Award 2024 also sees itself as a mobilisation for the commitment to peace, justice and environmental protection and for resistance against warmongering, exploitation and environmental destruction. It is intended to sensitise the public, name those responsible and uncover the connections.
NOTE: If you know of further prizes or sources missed in this list, please leave a note in the comments (preferably with a link to source).
This compendium may be further updated as time moves on.
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The author of this article lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
As a long time supporter of Julian Assange, I had become aware that many of those new to the story of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange found it hard to get a picture of the enormity and multidimensionality of the abuse that has gone on here, and what that says about the current state of the world we live in. Hence this archive.
The third was another compendium “The Persecution of WikiLeaks: Counting the Cost” covering a wide range of costs incurred by those associated, in almost any way, with WikiLeaks. In particular, it looks at the rollcall of the dead, and lists some of the many whistleblowers and truthtellers who have suffered under this regime of persecution. Read it here.
The fifth documents what was mostly a happy hiatus in this litany of abuse: “The Assange Wedding”. But even on that special day, the apparatus of the state managed to intrude with its petty (and not so petty) cruelties. Read it here.
The sixth compendium “A Chorus of Courage: Speaking Up for Assange”, provides a roll call of many of those who have spoken up for Julian Assange - using their professional &/or personal voices - and provides a little information about their role, together with links to some key statements. This list represents only the tip of the enormous mass of support for Julian that exists - especially at the grass roots level. Read it here.
The seventh compendium (this post) “Prizes for Assange: Praise where Praise is Due” celebrates many of the prizes and other awards showered on Julian Assange and WikiLeaks over nearly fifteen years. These give the lie to the vile smears by politicians and stenographers to power in the legacy press - that he "is not a journalist". Read it here.
The eighth compendium “Torrent of Truth: A Timeline of Assange Speech” provides a timeline of many articles and videos that record the direct speech of Julian Assange. While not exhaustive, it provides a fairly comprehensive and accessible overview of his online public life. Read it here.
The ninth part “View from the Other Side: Proponents of Prosecution” is a review of a one hour long podcast from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australia’s flagship, state funded broadcaster broadcast June 2022. Much of that podcast is preserved and analysed as an exemplar of the kind of misinformation which is spread at the “intellectual” and academic end of the legacy press spectrum. Read it here.
The tenth part was an essay “All Roads Converge … on Julian Assange”. It looks at the place of Julian Assange - as a man, a representative of free speech and a free press, and as a symbol of the values of the Enlightenment - asking why it matters what happens to him. Why is his fate centrally related to the crises - coronavirus, Ukraine, climate - currently swirling around us? Read it here. This very long essay is also available as an annotated reading, spread over an eight part video series. See more here.
The eleventh contains an annotated TRANSCRIPT of Julian’s first public speech (1 Oct 2024) after regaining his freedom (26 June 2024), plus other details of the PACE context of that speech: “Julian Speaks: a free man among friends, at last”. Read it here.
The SERIES INDEX. This is a one-stop-shop window on the series - listing and linking to all the topics and resources provided within all parts of the archive. See it here.
For those only nowthinking about joining the chorus of courage supporting Julian - please speak up. Your efforts will be appreciated, and you will find yourself on the right side of history. The fight has not ended yet, as although Julian is now free, he still needs a pardon, and safe legal conditions in which to continue his work - when he is well enough to do so.
Many of the reports in this series, while interesting to read for those new to this topic, are mainly intended as ongoing resources: documents to bookmark, dip into, refer back to, and share with those needing sources and perspective, rather than pieces to read at one sitting. The compendia are updated regularly as new events arise, so you might want to check back from time to time.
UPDATED for 2022 May 19: Julian Assange awarded the Gunther Wallraff prize in Germany