Fri Sep 20 05:59:55 UTC 2024: ## Media’s Complicity in the Persecution of Julian Assange: A Fourteen-Year Ordeal Ends, but Questions Remain

**PARIS, FRANCE** – The recent release of Australian journalist Julian Assange after fourteen years of legal battles marks the end of a long and complex ordeal. However, the global media’s role in his persecution remains a significant point of contention.

While Assange’s release should have been met with celebration, the response from the press was muted, with many outlets framing him as a “reckless leaker,” “publicity seeker,” or even a “shady character” associated with Russia. This narrative, which often overshadows the importance of Assange’s revelations about war crimes and the inner workings of American power, highlights the media’s complicity in his persecution.

The article by Laurent Dauré, journalist and founder of the French Committee of Support for Julian Assange, argues that the media’s stance was driven by self-preservation rather than journalistic integrity. While they initially celebrated their partnerships with WikiLeaks, profiting from the organization’s leaks of classified documents, the mainstream media quickly turned against Assange when his revelations posed a threat to their own power.

This shift in attitude manifested in several ways:

* **The focus shifted from the message to the messenger:** The media relentlessly scrutinized Assange’s character and ethics, even resorting to personal attacks and the spread of misinformation.
* **The media selectively ignored evidence**: Despite investigations by UN Special Rapporteur Nils Melzer and investigative journalist Stefania Maurizi debunking the allegations against Assange, the mainstream media largely ignored their findings.
* **The media perpetuated unsubstantiated claims:** Allegations of Assange’s collaboration with Russia and his role in the “Russian interference” in the 2016 US election remained unsubstantiated yet were widely reported, further fueling the narrative of Assange as a dangerous individual.

Dauré concludes that the media’s collaboration in Assange’s persecution further discredits a profession already struggling with declining trust. The media’s actions highlight the importance of independent journalism and the need to hold powerful institutions accountable, even when they are also powerful media players.

The release of Assange should serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting whistleblowers and journalists who expose wrongdoing, even when those in power try to silence them. The media’s role in this case raises serious questions about the future of journalism and its commitment to truth and justice.

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