As Julian Assange’s term in prison approaches the end of his term, members of a connected movement are demanding transparency about the funds being raised for his defence.
Following the release of the WikiLeaks founder from Belmarsh Prison on Tuesday, the AssangeDAO token (JUSTICE) rose by more than 60% in 24 hours. The Australian publisher and activist was previously detained in a high-security British facility for more than 1,900 days over an alleged breach of the US Espionage Act.
Assange supporters demand spending report
The Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) came together in December 2021 in a collaborative effort to garner financial support for Assange’s defense. According to one of the DAO’s primary contributors, Silk Noah, donors have raised approximately 16,593 Ethereum (ETH) worth over $56 million at current market prices.
The Wau Holland Foundation managed and distributed approximately $37 million of the increase across security (formerly Gnosis) was a multi-signature title, but the full accounting of the expenses remained undisclosed.
“It can be said that there were security reasons that prevented complete transparency in the allocation of funds in a way that would not harm Julian’s case in the past,” Noah said on the X program after his release. NOAA and several others have called on the F. Holland Foundation to explain how it allocates money to defense efforts.
Assange was supposedly an early investor in Bitcoin (BTC), believing that cryptocurrencies offered an alternative investment and payment method. In early 2010, the WikiLeaks founder invested in Bitcoin and considered accepting payments in cryptocurrencies after censorship from giants like Mastercard. Its release, supported in part by the DAO initiative, further underscores the role of cryptocurrencies as a catalyst for change in the real world.
