Nominering av Julian Assange til Nobels fredspris

Også i år har jeg nominert Julian Assange til Nobels fredspris, denne gangen sammen med professorkolleger, Elisabeth Eide, Gisle Selnes og Frode Helmich Pedersen - du kan les den her:

NOMINATION OF Julian Assange for The Nobel peace prize

Julian Assange has, by publishing extensive documentation of war crimes committed by the U.S. and their allies, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, contributed to a global public debate. If such crimes go unnoticed, the military powers may preserve the illusion of “clean” wars. Increasingly, the victims of modern warfare are civilians, while weapons become more sophisticated and deadly. At great risk, Assange has provided insight into the atrocities of modern warfare.

Assange’s work reminds us of previous Nobel laureate Carl von Ossietzky, who also revealed unlawful military practices and corruption. The world’s largest military power, the U.S.,views Assange as a major enemy. For his work as a journalist and publicist of leaks fromwhistle blowers around the world, Assange has, according to the U.N Special Rapporteur on Torture, been subject to 13 years of persecution, including arbitrary surveillance and imprisonment under conditions qualifying as torture. Assange has been imprisoned without sentence for more than four years at HMP Belmarsh, the worst high security prison in the UK, waiting for extradition to the U.S. There, he is charged according to the draconian Espionage act from 1917, risking 175 years’ imprisonment.Treating revelation of war crimes as equal to treason, will contribute to a chilling effect on public debate. Assange is an Australian citizen. The Australian PM and several Members of Parliament have pleaded for Assange’s release, as have many NGO’s working with freedom of expression.Assange’s work fulfils the Nobel peace award criteria, i. e. that the award be given to those who “who have done 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 peacecongresses”. Assange’s revelations of serious war crimes have paved the way for reduced illegitimate acts of violence. A wide range of peace organisations have benefited from Assange’s work as journalist and publisher.

Elisabeth Eide, Professor Emerita, Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University

Rune Ottosen, Professor Emeritus, Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University

Gisle Selnes, Professor, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen

Frode Helmich Pedersen, Professor, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen