Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, is the bravest editor of our generation when all mass media stakeholders are busy selling information to leverage the political parties to win elections and rule the country. Accountability and transparency are unfamiliar concepts to contemporary media across the globe. His contribution to democracy and freedom of the press is undermined by the mainstream media.
His courage and willingness to publish classified and sensitive information in the public domain deserve thunderous applause. We live in a world where taking sides against the USA may cost your leg and arm. He dared to publish information that could harm the reputation of a superpower on the basis of corruption, human rights abuses, and war crimes. Such sensitive information remains hidden forever, and Assange has made it unfold by putting his life at risk.
You may have heard many times in the recent past that the USA has been very vocal against Russia's actions in Ukraine and Israel's actions in Palestine. But you will be surprised to know that the USA itself has done it all in Afghanistan and Iraq. It became obvious when WikiLeaks released war logs from 2010. The grim and grave realities of war became evident to the public. One’s conduct is not counted in politics, which is the fundamental rule of international politics.
Assange is of the opinion that the flow of information is necessary for the healthy functioning of democracy and that it keeps the citizens informed. If people remain informed about the conduct of the government, it will help them choose the right one. Therefore, disseminating the right kind of information to the public is the essence of democracy. Believing strongly in this philosophy had put him in jail for five years.
Assange bears the valour of a general in journalism to hold the powerful country accountable for abusing human rights, which is its brainchild to profess to the world a prosaic lecture. But, of course! A lot of questions will be thrown at him for his conduct and behaviour in disclosing the war files on WikiLeaks. The security of the nation becomes a great matter of concern; therefore, a laborious approach must be adopted to disclose the classified information. Having said that, he stands up firmly for the freedom of the press, the fourth pillar of democracy.