Julian Assange, the renowned advocate for free speech and founder of WikiLeaks, has forged significant ties with the Bitcoin community. Both Assange and WikiLeaks have reaped the benefits of Bitcoin’s unique attributes as a digital currency, along with the support of its dynamic community. Their influential roles have been pivotal in enhancing Bitcoin’s prominence, fostering a reciprocal relationship that has been advantageous for the growth and endurance of both Bitcoin and WikiLeaks.
On the 25th of June, Assange triumphantly ended a 14-year legal ordeal, culminating in a five-year incarceration. The resolution came when Assange consented to a settlement with the U.S. authorities, accepting guilt to evade extradition and acknowledging his UK imprisonment, which ultimately secured his release.
The Bitcoin community has been a staunch ally of WikiLeaks and Assange, sharing a common vision, as Joshua Bate, DeSciWorld’s founder and a key member of AssangeDAO, conveyed to Cointelegraph. Their intertwined nature poses a formidable challenge to authoritarian regimes. Bate asserts that WikiLeaks champions the free flow of information, while Bitcoin facilitates the free exchange of value, both standing against censorship. This shared ethos has garnered Assange continuous backing from the Bitcoin community throughout his legal tribulations.
A notable demonstration of this support was an anonymous 8 BTC donation, which nearly cleared Assange’s $520,000 debt accrued from his repatriation to Australia. With commercial airlines refusing him, Assange resorted to a private jet for his return. Stella Assange, his wife, urgently solicited donations to finance the flight. Shortly after, a Bitcoin donation enabled Assange to arrive in Australia without any financial burden.
Assange honored Satoshi Nakamoto’s request to protect Bitcoin. WikiLeaks, established in 2006, gained significant journalistic prominence in 2010 with the release of “Collateral Murder,” a video depicting a U.S. Army helicopter engaging civilians in Baghdad, resulting in 18 casualties, including two Iraqi journalists from Reuters. The video’s impact led to concerted efforts by U.S. and British authorities to shut down the organization.
During Barack Obama’s presidency, the U.S. State Department declared WikiLeaks’ activities unlawful, triggering a financial embargo involving major payment processors and banks, jeopardizing its survival.
In dire need of an uncensorable donation method, WikiLeaks turned to Bitcoin on November 10, 2010, after a developer’s suggestion. However, Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s enigmatic creator, implored WikiLeaks to refrain from using Bitcoin for donations, fearing premature attention to the nascent currency. Despite this, WikiLeaks eventually established a Bitcoin address in June 2011 to bypass the financial blockade, a decision critical to its continuity.
Bitcoin’s unassailable nature has been vital for WikiLeaks, ensuring uninterrupted funding. The organization’s initial reception of 171 BTC set up a lasting fundraising avenue, exemplifying Bitcoin’s practical application.
While embroiled in legal battles, Assange paradoxically thanked the U.S. government for the financial blockade, which led to WikiLeaks’ adoption of Bitcoin. On October 14, 2017, Assange disclosed a 50,000% return on Bitcoin investments, with the organization having amassed 4,000 BTC by then. The subsequent bull market propelled Bitcoin’s value to $20,000.
Assange’s commitment to free speech has come at a personal cost. Following WikiLeaks’ significant exposure, Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Assange on sexual misconduct allegations in August 2010. Seeking refuge, Assange claimed asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he remained confined for seven years. Changes in Ecuador’s political landscape resulted in his asylum being revoked, leading to his arrest and imprisonment at Belmarsh Prison in the UK.
Assange’s fate hung in the balance with the possibility of extradition to the U.S., where severe penalties loomed. His situation mirrored that of other whistleblowers like Edward Snowden, whose lives were irrevocably altered after revealing government secrets.
Harry Halpin, CEO of Nym and AssangeDAO member, expressed to Cointelegraph that society may not have fully grasped the implications of Assange’s sacrifices. Nonetheless, Assange’s actions have brought issues such as war crimes and truth suppression to the forefront of public discourse.
Since returning to Australia, Assange has sought to maintain a low profile, valuing his privacy. Stella Assange revealed that the WikiLeaks founder intends to savor his newfound freedom and encouraged the press to challenge the U.S. government for transparency regarding her husband’s case. She highlighted that, despite restrictions imposed by the plea agreement, the public still holds the power to demand accountability from U.S. authorities.