Julian Assange

Julian Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks and caused a global sensation by disclosing a series of confidential documents provided by Chelsea Manning in 2010. In 1993, Assange provided technical advice to the Child Exploration Unit of the Victoria Police Department to assist in litigation investigations. In the same year, he participated in the creation of Suburbia Public Access Network, one of the earliest internet service providers in Australia. Afterwards, he began programming and jointly developed port scanning program design based on the Transmission Control Protocol. In 2006, Assange established the WikiLeaks WikiLeaks website, believing that the free exchange of information could end illegal governance. In 2010, Assange was requested to be extradited to Sweden on charges of sexual assault. He denied the charges and expressed concern that he would be extradited from Sweden to the United States for leaking confidential US documents. In 2017, Swedish prosecutors stated that they would cease their investigation into Assange. In 2010, Assange surrendered to the London police, but his bail application was rejected. In 2012, he received political asylum in Ecuador. Afterwards, he stayed at the Ecuadorian Embassy in the UK and enjoyed the freedom to leave at any time, but would be arrested for violating the bail terms of the UK suspect. In 2011, the Sydney Peace Foundation awarded Assange the Sydney Peace Medal in recognition of his extraordinary courage in pursuing human rights. The recipients of this honor also include Nelson Mandela.