Major Controversies Surrounding Julian Assange: A Detailed Timeline
Public opinion and media debates around Julian Assange—discover key moments of controversy.
Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He gained international prominence in 2010 following WikiLeaks' publication of leaked materials from Chelsea Manning, including footage of a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, war logs from Afghanistan and Iraq, and U.S. diplomatic cables. While lauded by some for his work in journalism and publishing, he has also faced legal challenges and controversy.
1917: Espionage Act of 1917
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917.
1988: Hacking of the OTC Mainframes
In 1988, Julian Assange used social engineering to hack into the Overseas Telecommunications Commission's mainframes in Australia.
1989: Possible Involvement in the WANK Hack at NASA
In 1989, Julian Assange may have been involved in the WANK hack at NASA, although this has never been proven, leading to the origin of hacktivism.
September 1991: Discovery of Hacking into Nortel Terminal
In September 1991, Julian Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel.
1991: Acclaimed Hacker Status
By 1991, Julian Assange was described as "probably Australia's most accomplished hacker" by The Guardian, reflecting his reputation in the hacking community.
1991: Targeting MILNET
In mid-1991, Julian Assange and two others began targeting MILNET, a US military data network.
1994: Charged with Hacking Crimes
In 1994, Julian Assange was charged with 31 counts of crimes related to hacking.
May 1995: Trial Date Set
In May 1995, Julian Assange's trial date was set, and his case was presented to the Supreme Court of Victoria.
December 1996: Plea Deal and Sentencing
In December 1996, Julian Assange struck a plea deal and pleaded guilty to 24 hacking charges. He was sentenced to a fine of A$2,100 and released on a A$5,000 good behaviour bond due to his disrupted childhood and the absence of malicious intent.
1996: Conviction for Hacking
In 1996, Julian Assange was convicted for hacking, marking an early legal challenge related to his involvement in the hacker community.
July 2007: Baghdad Airstrike
On July 12, 2007, US soldiers fatally shot 18 civilians from a helicopter in Baghdad, including Reuters journalists. In April 2010, Wikileaks released footage of the event that has been regarded as evidence of war crimes.
2008: Swiss Bank Publication Attempt
In 2008, WikiLeaks' international profile increased when a Swiss bank, Bank Julius Baer, attempted to prevent the site's publication of bank records via a Californian court injunction, leading to the "Streisand effect" and drawing global attention to WikiLeaks.
2008: Publication of Tibetan Unrest Footage
In 2008, WikiLeaks, under Assange's editorship, published footage of the Tibetan unrest, contributing to its growing profile.
2009: Assange allegedly starts recruiting hackers
In 2009, according to a new indictment from June 2020, Julian Assange allegedly started attempting to recruit hackers and system administrators at conferences around the world.
February 2010: Publication of Leaks from Manning
In February 2010, WikiLeaks began publishing leaks provided by Chelsea Manning, significantly escalating its impact and Assange's international profile.
March 2010: Text Chat with Chelsea Manning
In March 2010, a member of WikiLeaks, widely believed to be Julian Assange, talked to Chelsea Manning by text chat while she was submitting leaks to WikiLeaks. These chat logs were later used in the 2018 indictment of Assange.
April 2010: Release of "Collateral Murder" Video
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released video footage of the 12 July 2007, Baghdad airstrike, titled "Collateral Murder", showing United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists. The release sparked debates about war crimes.
August 2010: Accusations of Sexual Offences in Sweden
Beginning in August 2010, Assange contested legal proceedings in the United Kingdom concerning the requested extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden for a "preliminary investigation" into accusations of sexual offences made in August 2010.
August 2010: Provision of Encryption Key to The Guardian
In August 2010, Julian Assange gave Guardian journalist David Leigh an encryption key and a URL where he could locate the full file of US diplomatic cables.
September 2010: International Arrest Warrant Issued
On 27 September 2010, Assange left Sweden for UK; an international arrest warrant was issued the same day for allegations of rape, unlawful coercion, and sexual molestation.
November 2010: Sweden Seeks Extradition
In November 2010, Sweden sought to extradite Julian Assange from the UK for questioning in an unrelated police investigation, initiating a prolonged legal battle.
November 2010: Publication of U.S. Diplomatic Cables ("Cablegate")
In November 2010, WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, revealing United States espionage, tensions with allies, and corruption worldwide, and helping to spark the Arab Spring.
November 2010: US Investigation into WikiLeaks Begins
In November 2010, after WikiLeaks released the Manning material, US Attorney-General Eric Holder announced an "active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks, and the administration urged allies to open criminal investigations of Assange.
December 2010: PostFinance Closes Assange's Swiss Bank Account
In December 2010, PostFinance closed Assange's Swiss bank account due to "false information regarding his place of residence", leading WikiLeaks to claim it was part of a banking blockade.
2010: International Attention
In 2010, Julian Assange gained international attention after WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from Chelsea Manning, including footage of a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and U.S. diplomatic cables.
2010: FBI says Assange not a subject of investigation
In 2010, the FBI told a lawyer for Assange that he wasn't the subject of an investigation.
January 2011: Assange denies conspiracy with Manning
In January 2011, Assange refuted allegations that WikiLeaks conspired or communicated with Chelsea Manning, calling it "absolute nonsense." He claimed WikiLeaks only learned Manning's name from media reports.
February 2011: Publication of Encryption Key by The Guardian
In February 2011, David Leigh and Luke Harding of The Guardian published the encryption key to WikiLeaks files in their book WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy, compromising the security of leaked US diplomatic cables.
August 2011: WikiLeaks Volunteer Becomes FBI Informant
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson contacted the FBI and became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks, providing hard drives copied from Assange and core WikiLeaks members.
August 2011: Der Freitag Article
On 25 August 2011, the German magazine Der Freitag published an article giving details which enabled people to piece together the information. In September 2011, WikiLeaks announced they would make the unredacted cables public and searchable.
September 2011: Announcement to Publish Unredacted Cables
In September 2011, WikiLeaks announced they would make the unredacted cables public and searchable after a series of events compromised the security of the file.
September 2011: Assange could face prosecution in Australia
On 2 September 2011, Australia's attorney general, Robert McClelland, stated that the US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks identified at least one ASIO officer, which is a crime in Australia. This meant "Julian Assange could face prosecution in Australia."
December 2011: Prosecutors reveal chat logs between Manning and Assange
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed chat logs between Manning and someone they claimed was Assange. Assange responded by stating that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats were anonymous.
2011: WikiLeaks Hacking During Egyptian Revolution
According to Andrew O'Hagan, in 2011, during the Egyptian revolution, Assange and others at WikiLeaks "hacked into Nortel and fought against Mubarak's official hackers to reverse the process" when Mubarak tried to close the mobile phone networks.
2011: Publication of Unauthorized Autobiography
In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography, which Assange disavowed.
2011: Dispute with Private Eye
In 2011, an article in Private Eye recounted a phone call with Assange about Israel Shamir, leading to a dispute over accusations of a Jewish-led conspiracy.
June 2012: Asylum in Ecuadorian Embassy
In June 2012, Assange breached bail and sought refuge at Ecuador's Embassy in London and was granted asylum.
June 2012: UK threatens to enter embassy to arrest Assange
In June 2012, the UK government threatened to enter the Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Assange. The Metropolitan Police Service stationed officers outside the embassy to arrest Assange if he left.
August 2012: Ecuador Grants Asylum
In August 2012, Ecuador granted Julian Assange asylum based on political persecution concerns and potential extradition to the United States.
2012: Hosting "World Tomorrow" Show
In 2012, Assange hosted the World Tomorrow show, which was broadcast by Russian network RT.
2012: Cypherpunks book release
In 2012, Colin Robinson co-published Assange's book Cypherpunks.
2012: Denial of MILNET Hacking Evidence
In 2012, Ken Day, the former head of the Australian Federal Police computer crime team, stated that there was no evidence that the International Subversives had hacked MILNET.
2012: US investigates Assange, considers espionage charges
In 2012, diplomatic cables revealed that the US government was investigating Assange, considering charges like espionage and conspiracy. Diplomats dismissed claims of political motivation and cited prosecutors' claims that Manning was "guided by WikiLeaks' list of 'most wanted' leaks".
2012: "Operation Speargun" created by New Zealand government
In 2012, documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that the New Zealand government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun".
June 2013: Grand jury examines Assange
In June 2013, The New York Times reported that court documents suggested Assange was being examined by a grand jury and several government agencies, including the FBI.
July 2013: Manning's court-martial presents chat logs
During Chelsea Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013, the prosecution presented chat logs as evidence, arguing that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. However, Manning testified that she acted independently in sending documents to WikiLeaks.
July 2013: Morales's jet forced to land
In July 2013, Bolivian President Evo Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria due to false rumors that Edward Snowden was on board, after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny access to their airspace.
2013: "Operation Speargun" created by New Zealand government
In 2013, documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that the New Zealand government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun".
2013: Internal dissent in WikiLeaks Party
In 2013, the WikiLeaks party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics, including a controversial preference deal. Leaked emails suggested Assange attempted to exert control over the party's decisions.
May 2014: WikiLeaks under 'active and ongoing' investigation
Court documents published in May 2014 suggested that WikiLeaks was under an "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
September 2014: Assange discusses "Operation Speargun" via video link
On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link at a town hall meeting in Auckland, discussing New Zealand's secret mass surveillance program, "Operation Speargun". He claimed Snowden documents showed he was a target.
November 2014: Listening device found in Assange's room
According to El País, a November 2014 UC Global report said that a briefcase with a listening device was found in a room occupied by Assange.
2014: O'Hagan Writes About Ghostwriting Experience
In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter, detailing Assange's reluctance about the autobiography.
2014: WikiLeaks violates gag order in Australia
In 2014, WikiLeaks published information about political bribery allegations, violating a gag order in Australia. A media lawyer noted that Assange could face charges if he returns to Australia.
May 2015: Ambassador Unaware of Surveillance Operation
In May 2015, then Ecuadorian ambassador to the UK, Juan Falconí Puig, became aware of the UC Global surveillance operation after a bill went to the embassy, and Ecuadorian foreign minister Ricardo Patiño explained the situation.
August 2015: Statute of Limitations Expires for Some Allegations
On 12 August 2015, Swedish prosecutors announced that the statute of limitations had expired for three of the allegations against Assange while he was in the Ecuadorian embassy.
October 2015: Police officers withdrawn from embassy
In October 2015, police officers were withdrawn from outside the embassy on grounds of cost, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him".
2015: Assange accused of endangering Morales's life
In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk during the Snowden affair.
February 2016: Assange criticizes Hillary Clinton
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism ... she certainly should not become president of the United States."
July 2016: WikiLeaks Released DNC Emails
In July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), revealing efforts to undermine Bernie Sanders and favour Hillary Clinton. This led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology from the DNC to Sanders. The release was timed by Assange to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
July 2016: Assange Hints at Seth Rich's Involvement in DNC Email Leak
In a July 2016 interview, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and implied Rich's death was connected. WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about Rich's murder but denied any direct connection to their publications.
September 2016: WikiLeaks tweets Assange would agree to US extradition if Manning granted clemency
In September 2016, WikiLeaks tweeted that if President Obama granted Chelsea Manning clemency, Assange would agree to US extradition.
November 2016: WikiLeaks Contacted Donald Trump Jr.
In November 2016, WikiLeaks asked Donald Trump Jr. to share a WikiLeaks tweet containing a fabricated quote attributed to Hillary Clinton about droning Assange. After the election, WikiLeaks and Assange also requested that the president-elect push Australia to appoint Assange as ambassador to the US.
2016: Debate Over Motives and Ties to Russia
After the 2016 US presidential election, there was debate about Assange's motives and his ties to Russia.
2016: 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks
In 2016 US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and proposed a pardon from Trump in exchange for Assange stating that Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks.
January 2017: Assange comments on Manning clemency
In January 2017, after Manning's sentence was commuted, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration. Assange claimed the decision was an attempt to "make life hard" for him. He faced pressure to agree to extradition, but retreated from the offer.
March 2017: WikiLeaks Releases Vault 7 CIA Documents
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the Vault 7 documents, which was the largest leak of CIA documents in history, revealing the agency's hacking capabilities. CIA director Mike Pompeo labeled WikiLeaks a "non-state hostile intelligence service".
April 2017: US officials prepare to file charges against Assange
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange.
August 2017: Rohrabacher's Offer of a Pardon
In August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and proposed a pardon from Trump in exchange for Assange stating that Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks.
August 2017: Assange Involved in Catalonia Independence Movement
In late August 2017, Assange became heavily involved in the Catalonia independence movement, acting as its chief international spokesman and contributing significantly to Twitter traffic under the hashtag #Catalonia before the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
November 2017: Assange Meets with Catalonia Independence Movement Supporters
In November 2017, Assange met with Oriol Soler and Arnau Grinyó, key supporters of the Catalonia independence movement, which drew criticism from the Spanish government.
December 2017: Spanish Foreign Minister Accuses Assange of Interference
In December 2017, Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis accused Assange of "trying to interfere and manipulate" in Catalonia. Assange defended Catalans' right to self-determination and provided instructions on secure communication.
December 2017: New Cameras Installed in Ecuadorian Embassy
In December 2017, new CCTV cameras with microphones were installed in Ecuadorian Embassy to record Assange's daily activities.
2017: Rape Investigation Dropped
In May 2017, the investigation into the rape allegation was dropped by Swedish authorities because of Assange's asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy. Assange feared extradition to the United States if sent to Sweden.
January 2018: Assange Impersonates Sean Hannity on Twitter
In January 2018, after Sean Hannity's Twitter account was temporarily deleted, Assange sent messages from an account impersonating Hannity, offering "news" on Senator Mark Warner.
May 2018: Ecuador Plans Assange's Escape
In May 2018, The Guardian reported that Ecuador had devised plans to help Assange escape if British police forcibly entered the embassy to seize him.
July 2018: Ecuador Negotiates End to Assange's Asylum
In July 2018, President Moreno of Ecuador engaged in talks with the British government to find a resolution to Assange's asylum situation, seeking guarantees for his safety.
December 2018: UN Urges UK to Allow Assange Freedom
On December 21, 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to allow Assange to leave the embassy freely.
2018: US Indictment of Assange Unsealed
In 2018, the US prepared an indictment charging Assange with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks, which was unsealed in April 2019 following his arrest.
2018: Indictment of Julian Assange
In 2018, the US referred to text chat logs between Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, that occurred in March 2010, in the indictment of Julian Assange.
February 2019: Geneva Parliament Supports Asylum for Assange
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange.
April 2019: Arrest and Imprisonment
In April 2019, Julian Assange's asylum was withdrawn, and he was arrested by British police. He was found guilty of breaching the United Kingdom Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison and incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh in London.
April 2019: Assange Arrested and Asylum Revoked
On April 11, 2019, Ecuador revoked Assange's asylum. He was arrested by London Metropolitan Police for failing to appear in court and carried out of the embassy. The US unsealed a 2018 indictment against him.
May 2019: US grand jury adds espionage charges
In May 2019, a US grand jury added 17 espionage charges related to Julian Assange's involvement with Chelsea Manning, bringing the total to 18 federal charges against him in the US. Assange's defenders argue he was simply publishing leaked information as a journalist.
May 2019: UN rapporteur concludes Assange shows symptoms of psychological torture
In May 2019, after visiting Julian Assange in prison, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture, concluded that Assange showed symptoms typical of prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress and chronic anxiety.
May 2019: Reopening of Swedish Investigation
In May 2019, the Swedish Prosecution Authority reopened the investigation against Assange, expressing the intent to extradite him from the United Kingdom after his prison sentence.
May 2019: U.S. Government Unseals New Indictments
In May 2019, the U.S. government unsealed new indictments against Julian Assange, charging him with violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and alleging he had conspired with hackers.
June 2019: Extradition Request Denied
In June 2019, the Uppsala District Court denied a request to detain Assange, preventing his extradition to Sweden.
June 2019: El Pais Reveals Surveillance of Assange
On June 20, 2019, El Pais revealed the existence of the surveillance recordings and reports about Assange by UC Global.
August 2019: Spanish High Court Opens Inquiry into Surveillance
On August 7, 2019, Spain's High Court opened proceedings inquiring about the surveillance of Assange after he filed a complaint accusing UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges.
November 2019: Medical professionals raise concerns about Assange's health
Between November 2019 and February 2020, members of the medical profession raised concerns about Julian Assange's health and detention conditions, signing petitions on his behalf.
November 2019: Prosecution Drops Case
On 19 November 2019, the prosecution dropped the case because "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed" although they were confident in the complainant.
November 2019: Melzer states Assange's health is deteriorating
On November 1, 2019, Nils Melzer stated that Julian Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was at risk, also saying that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
December 2019: Melzer accuses UK government of torturing Assange
On December 30, 2019, Nils Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange, stating that his continued exposure to mental and emotional suffering amounted to psychological torture.
2019: Debate Over Journalistic Status
After Assange's arrest in 2019, journalists and commenters debated whether Assange was a journalist.
2019: Assange's indictment unsealed
Assange's indictment was unsealed in 2019 and expanded on later that year.
2019: Mueller report considers charging WikiLeaks and Assange
In early 2019, the Mueller report considered charging WikiLeaks or Assange "as conspirators in the computer-intrusion conspiracy" and noted "factual uncertainties" about Assange's role in the hacks.
2019: Judge Arbuthnot withdraws from Assange case
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot withdrew from Julian Assange's extradition case due to a "perception of bias" related to her family's connections to intelligence services and defence industries. Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
February 2020: Australian MPs visit Assange and press for intervention
On February 17, 2020, Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Julian Assange and urged the UK and Australian governments to intervene and prevent his extradition.
June 2020: New indictment filed against Assange
In June 2020, a new indictment alleged that since 2009, Julian Assange had attempted to recruit hackers and system administrators and conspired with hackers from groups like LulzSec and Anonymous.
June 2020: Further Indictments by U.S. Government
In June 2020, the U.S. government unsealed new indictments against Julian Assange, further complicating his legal situation.
2020: US Attorney's Statement on Disappearances
At one of Assange's extradition hearings in 2020, a lawyer for the US said that "sources, whose redacted names and other identifying information was contained in classified documents published by WikiLeaks, who subsequently disappeared, although the US can't prove at this point that their disappearance was the result of being outed by WikiLeaks."
2020: Assange's indictment expanded
In 2020, Assange's indictment was expanded.
2020: Assange's Defence Team Alleges Pardon Offer
In 2020, during his extradition hearings, Assange's defence team claimed the pardon offer from Trump, mediated by Rohrabacher, was made "on instructions from the president".
June 2021: Icelandic newspaper publishes interview with key witness
In June 2021, Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the key witness in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Julian Assange, who stated that he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
July 2021: US assures Crown Prosecution Services regarding Assange's treatment
In July 2021, following the decision that it would be "oppressive" to extradite Assange, the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that Julian Assange would not be subject to special administrative measures or imprisoned at ADX Florence.
October 2021: Assange's Lawyers Introduce Alleged Kidnapping Plot
In October 2021, during a hearing in London regarding the U.S. appeal of a ruling against Assange's extradition, his lawyers introduced an alleged plot by the CIA to kidnap Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy after the Vault 7 leaks.
October 2021: High Court holds appeal hearing
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing. The U.S. argued that Julian Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed. Assange's lawyer pointed to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to harm Assange.
2022: Lawsuit Filed Against CIA Over Assange Surveillance
In 2022, four associates of Assange filed a lawsuit against the CIA, alleging their civil rights were violated due to being recorded as part of the surveillance operation against Assange.
2022: Spanish Courts Summon Pompeo
In 2022, the Spanish courts summoned Mike Pompeo as a witness to testify on the alleged CIA plans to kidnap or assassinate Assange after the Vault 7 leaks.
May 2023: Assange writes to King Charles III
In May 2023, Julian Assange wrote a letter to King Charles III saying he was a political prisoner and requesting the King visit him in prison.
June 2023: FBI seeks new evidence in Assange case
In June 2023, The Age reported that the FBI was seeking to gather new evidence in Julian Assange's case, requesting to interview Andrew O'Hagan, who refused to provide a statement against a fellow journalist.
December 2023: Judge Allows Lawsuit Against CIA to Proceed
In December 2023, a judge ruled that the lawsuit against the CIA, filed by associates of Assange, could proceed, rejecting a CIA motion to dismiss, although the scope of the suit was trimmed.
June 2024: Incarceration in HM Prison Belmarsh
From April 2019 to June 2024, Julian Assange was incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh in London, as the U.S. government's extradition effort was contested in the UK courts.
2024: Conflicting Views on Assange's Actions
In 2024, Assange's legal counsel referred to him as a journalist, while the US government stated his actions went beyond those of a journalist.
