History of Wikileaks

WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Julian Assange. It is known for publishing classified, censored, or otherwise…

By Staff , in News media , at October 3, 2024 Tags: news media

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WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Julian Assange. It is known for publishing classified, censored, or otherwise restricted information and documents related to government and corporate activities. The platform gained international prominence for its role in exposing sensitive government data and for its controversial impact on global politics.

Founding and Purpose
WikiLeaks was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, an Australian computer programmer and activist. Assange envisioned the platform as a way to provide transparency by releasing documents related to government and corporate misconduct, emphasizing the importance of free access to information and whistleblowing.
WikiLeaks describes itself as a “multi-national media organization” and has often been associated with the practice of “radical transparency”—the belief that revealing hidden truths, particularly those related to abuses of power, is essential to maintaining democracy and accountability.

Early Leaks (2006–2009)
In its early years, WikiLeaks released several notable documents, including:
Corruption in Kenya: One of WikiLeaks’ earliest publications was in 2007, when it released a report on the Kenyan government’s corruption and the embezzlement of funds under former President Daniel arap Moi. The leak was instrumental in bringing attention to the widespread corruption in the country.
Scientology documents: In 2008, WikiLeaks published documents related to the inner workings of the Church of Scientology, including secret training manuals.
Bank Julius Baer documents: Also in 2008, WikiLeaks posted documents implicating the Swiss bank Julius Baer in offshore tax evasion practices. The bank attempted to suppress the information through legal channels but ultimately withdrew its case after a public outcry.
These early leaks garnered attention, but it wasn’t until 2010 that WikiLeaks became a household name due to several highly significant and controversial publications.

2010: Major Leaks and Global Impact
The year 2010 marked a turning point for WikiLeaks with a series of high-profile leaks related to the U.S. government and its military activities:

Collateral Murder Video (April 2010):
WikiLeaks released a classified U.S. military video showing an Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad in 2007, which resulted in the deaths of several people, including two Reuters journalists. The video, dubbed “Collateral Murder” by WikiLeaks, sparked outrage over the apparent disregard for civilian lives.

Afghan War Logs (July 2010):
WikiLeaks published over 75,000 classified U.S. military documents relating to the war in Afghanistan. The documents detailed previously unreported civilian deaths, the role of Pakistani intelligence in supporting the Taliban, and the difficulties faced by U.S. and NATO forces.

Iraq War Logs (October 2010):
This release included 400,000 classified U.S. military documents concerning the Iraq War. The logs revealed widespread civilian casualties, torture, and abuse by Iraqi security forces, as well as previously undisclosed instances of coalition forces’ involvement in civilian deaths.

Cablegate (November 2010):
One of WikiLeaks’ most famous releases was “Cablegate,” a collection of over 250,000 U.S. diplomatic cables. These cables contained confidential communications between U.S. embassies and the U.S. State Department, revealing candid and often embarrassing assessments of world leaders, foreign policy, and diplomatic relations.
The Cablegate release caused diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and several countries and became a significant point of contention in international relations.

Reactions and Controversy
WikiLeaks’ 2010 releases were highly controversial. Supporters praised the organization for exposing government and military misconduct, advocating for transparency and accountability. Many hailed Assange and WikiLeaks as champions of whistleblowing and freedom of the press.
However, critics, including the U.S. government and other authorities, condemned the leaks for endangering national security and putting lives at risk. U.S. officials claimed that the publication of sensitive documents could compromise military operations and intelligence assets. Others accused Assange of recklessly distributing classified material without adequately redacting sensitive information.

Legal Issues and Assange’s Exile
Following these leaks, Julian Assange faced legal challenges. In 2010, Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct, charges he denied, claiming they were politically motivated.
Fearing extradition to Sweden (which could have led to further extradition to the U.S.), Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012. He was granted asylum and remained in the embassy for nearly seven years, during which WikiLeaks continued to operate, though its activities slowed.

WikiLeaks and the 2016 U.S. Election
WikiLeaks made headlines again during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, when it released thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the personal email account of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. The emails were obtained through a hack, and their release fueled controversy over Clinton’s use of a private email server, DNC bias against Bernie Sanders, and internal campaign strategies.
U.S. intelligence agencies later concluded that the emails were hacked by Russian operatives as part of an effort to influence the election in favor of Donald Trump. WikiLeaks’ role in publishing these emails became a focal point in discussions about election interference, and critics accused Assange of being aligned with Russian interests. However, Assange repeatedly denied any collaboration with Russia.

Julian Assange’s Arrest (2019)
In April 2019, after years of diplomatic tensions and changes in Ecuador’s government, Julian Assange was expelled from the Ecuadorian Embassy and arrested by British authorities. He was detained on charges of skipping bail related to the Swedish allegations and later faced a U.S. indictment for conspiring to hack classified U.S. government computers with Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. Army intelligence analyst who had leaked the 2010 documents to WikiLeaks.
The U.S. Department of Justice subsequently expanded the charges against Assange, adding 17 counts under the Espionage Act related to his publication of classified military and diplomatic materials.

Legacy and Impact
WikiLeaks has had a significant and polarizing impact on global politics, journalism, and whistleblowing:
Transparency and Whistleblowing: WikiLeaks became a symbol of the transparency movement, pushing for government accountability by exposing classified and often controversial information. Many activists and journalists continue to defend WikiLeaks as an essential force for truth.
Criticism and National Security: Governments and critics argue that WikiLeaks has endangered lives, compromised sensitive operations, and contributed to cyberattacks and state-backed disinformation efforts.
Freedom of the Press: The legal battles surrounding Assange and WikiLeaks have raised concerns about the future of press freedom and whether journalists and publishers should be held criminally liable for publishing classified material.