Challenges and Efforts in Freeing Julian Assange at the Plan B Forum

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was taken into custody in 2019 after being confined in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years.

During the Plan B Forum held in Lugano, Switzerland, Assange’s family members shared their experiences and efforts aimed at fighting extradition to the United States and securing his freedom. These endeavors have spanned over 14 years and have required significant financial backing, totaling over $30 million.

The panel featured Assange’s wife, Stella Assange, along with his father, John Shipton, and half-brother, Gabriel Shipton. Gabriel provided insights into the substantial financial support needed for his brother’s release:

“We’re looking at upwards of $30 million, just across campaign costs, campaigning fees, legal fees. It was a global campaign with tens of thousands of individual donations and larger donations from some very wealthy Bitcoiners.”

Moreover, Gabriel highlighted the involvement of the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) AssangeDAO, which comprises 10,000 members who contributed to the fundraising efforts.

Community Support from Bitcoiners and Crypto Enthusiasts

The immense financial demands to facilitate Assange’s release were extensively discussed, particularly by AssangeDAO member Silke Noa. Noa disclosed that the DAO allocated approximately $37 million towards legal representation and awareness campaigns to aid in securing his freedom.

In June 2024, shortly after Assange’s release, he faced an unexpected challenge: he required a private plane to travel back to Australia from the United Kingdom due to restrictions preventing him from using commercial flights. The cost associated with this private charter amounted to $520,000, potentially leading to significant debt for Assange. Fortunately, an anonymous donor from the Bitcoin community stepped in, providing over eight Bitcoin, valued at $520,000 at that time, to cover these travel expenses.

Crypto assets played a crucial role in supporting WikiLeaks, especially after former President Barack Obama declared their reporting illegal in 2010. This led to the US State Department instructing payment processors and financial institutions to cease services to WikiLeaks, attempting to stifle the whistleblower site’s operations.