WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sues Nobel panel over ‘instrument of war’ peace prize to Machado

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, on 17 December, filed a criminal complaint against the Nobel panel over the 'instrument of war' peace prize to Venezuelan democracy activist María Corina Machado.

In a statement on 17 December, WikiLeaks said Julian Assange filed a criminal complaint in Sweden, “accusing 30 individuals associated with the Nobel Foundation, including its leadership, of committing serious suspected crimes, including the crime of gross misappropriation of funds, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and the financing of the crime of aggression.”

The statement claimed: "The complaint shows that Alfred Nobel's 1895 will explicitly mandates that the peace prize go to the individual who during the proceeding year 'conferred the greatest benefit to humankind' by doing ‘the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses’."

Assange argued: “The political decision of the Norwegian selection committee does not suspend the fiduciary duty of Swedish funds administrators.”

“Any disbursement contradicting this mandate constitutes misappropriation from the endowment," the statement said.

'Machado incited Trump Administration'

Assange also alleged that “Machado has continued to incite the Trump Administration to pursue its escalatory path”, including by entering into a "conspiracy to give the US administration access to $1.7 trillion in oil reserves and other natural resources through privatization once Maduro is ousted."

“Using her elevated position as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Machado may well have tipped the balance in favour of war, facilitated by the named suspects,” Assange states in the criminal complaint.

Notably, the US administration has been tightening the screws on the regime of Nicolás Maduro, deploying thousands of troops, several warships and an aircraft carrier to the Caribbean Sea off Venezuela as well as launching strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats that have killed almost 100 people.

The complaint lists evidence of this "incitement" of US military intervention, as well as "praising" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct in Gaza.

Requested action

The complaint reads,“There is a real risk that the funds derived from Nobel’s endowment have been or will be intentionally or negligently diverted from their charitable purpose to facilitate aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.”

Assange requests that Swedish authorities:

1. Immediately freeze the pending SEK 11,000,000 monetary prize transfer and any remaining related budget and secure return of the medal.

2. Investigate the named persons and Foundation officers and associated entities for breach of trust, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and conspiracy.

3. Seize of board minutes, emails, group chats, and financial records.

4. Interrogate Widding, Stjärne and other suspects.

5. Fully investigate domestically or refer the matter to the ICC (Rome Statute Art. 25(3)(c)).

“This complaint seeks the immediate freezing of all remaining funds and a full criminal investigation lest the Nobel Peace Prize be permanently converted from an instrument of peace into an instrument of war,” Assange concludes.