Julian Assange

Julian Assange, born on July 3, 1971, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, is a prominent figure in the realms of journalism, activism, and technology. His life has been marked by a relentless pursuit of transparency and government accountability, often courting controversy and legal battles along the way.

Assange's early years were characterized by a nomadic lifestyle, as his parents, Christine Ann Hawkins and John Shipton, moved frequently throughout his childhood. He attended various schools in Australia and demonstrated an early aptitude for computers and programming. Assange's fascination with cryptography and computer hacking led him to become involved in the emerging hacker community in Melbourne during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In 1991, Assange was charged with multiple counts of hacking-related offenses and pleaded guilty to 25 charges. He was subsequently fined and released on bond. This experience marked the beginning of Assange's engagement with issues related to freedom of information and government transparency.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Assange became increasingly involved in activism and journalism. He co-founded the activist group WikiLeaks in 2006, with the goal of providing a secure platform for whistleblowers to anonymously submit classified documents exposing government and corporate wrongdoing. WikiLeaks gained international attention in 2010 when it released a series of high-profile leaks, including the "Collateral Murder" video, which depicted a U.S. military airstrike in Iraq that resulted in civilian casualties.

Assange's role as the public face of WikiLeaks made him a target of governments around the world. In 2010, he faced allegations of sexual misconduct in Sweden, which he denied and claimed were politically motivated. Assange sought asylum in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, fearing that it would lead to his eventual extradition to the United States to face charges related to his publishing activities with WikiLeaks.

During his seven-year confinement in the embassy, Assange continued his work with WikiLeaks, releasing classified documents on topics such as government surveillance, diplomatic cables, and war crimes. However, his health deteriorated over time, and his confinement drew criticism from human rights organizations and supporters worldwide.

In April 2019, Assange was arrested by British authorities after Ecuador revoked his asylum status. He was subsequently charged by the United States with multiple counts of espionage and computer-related offenses. Assange's legal battles have sparked widespread debate over press freedom, government secrecy, and the rights of whistleblowers.

As february 2024, Assange remains in detention in the United Kingdom, fighting extradition to the United States. His case continues to be a focal point for journalists, activists, and legal scholars advocating for transparency and the protection of free speech in the digital age. FOLLOW HIS STORY FROM HIS SUPPORTERS ON X Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has made numerous statements over the years that reflect his views on government transparency, freedom of information, and the role of journalism in society. Here are some of his notable quotes:

1. "The goal is justice, the method is transparency."

2. "If journalism is good, it is controversial, by its nature."

3. "The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie."

4. "Courage is contagious."

5. "I enjoy crushing bastards."

6. "Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence and thereby eventually lose all ability to defend ourselves and those we love."

7. "The internet, our greatest tool of emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen."

8. "It is the role of good journalism to take on powerful abusers, and when powerful abusers are taken on, there's always a bad reaction. So we see that controversy, and we believe that is a good thing to engage in."

9. "It is impossible to correct abuses unless we know that they're going on."

10. "In the history of Wikileaks, nobody has claimed that the material being put out is not authentic."

These quotes reflect Assange's commitment to transparency, his belief in the importance of holding powerful institutions accountable, and his dedication to the principles of journalism.