Julian Assange and the US Espionage Act
Free Assange Berlin is an activist group that has been organizing gatherings, public talks and movie screening in support of journalist Julian Assange. They contacted us to collaborate on an explainer video about the background to Assange’s legal struggle. Our cooperation was so exciting that we are in talks of realizing another project, a graphic novel about the freedom of the press.
Full Text /
Project Breakdown
After years of fighting extradition to the United States, Julian Assange was freed from a British prison in June 2024. He flew to Australia, where a crowd cheered as he was reunited with his wife. However, the celebration was cut short when the Australian government handed him a half-million-dollar bill for his plane ticket. Regardless, journalists worldwide were already hesitant to celebrate the event. The conditions of Assange’s release were another blow to the freedom of the press. He had to plead guilty to violating the US Espionage Act.
Storyboard
Black and White Drawing
Introduced in 1917, the Espionage Act was created to penalize those who opposed American involvement in World War I. It criminalized the sharing of any information deemed harmful to the country’s war efforts. The law didn’t consider public interest, treating spies and whistleblowers alike.
During the so-called ‘Global War on Terror,’ the US government used the Espionage Act to control its media image. Reports on war crimes were systematically classified, making it illegal to inform the public about them. The government primarily targeted whistleblowers who leaked confidential documents. However, experts warned that the law’s vague language could also be used against journalists.
This warning proved true in 2010 when WikiLeaks released a video entitled Collateral Murder. It showed the US Army killing unarmed Iraqi civilians and journalists. The footage severely damaged the US’s international reputation. In response, the whistleblower who leaked the video was arrested, and the FBI began investigating Assange, the WikiLeaks founder.
Nine years later, Julian Assange became the first journalist to be indicted under the Espionage Act. The US sought his extradition immediately after his arrest in London. Grassroots movements rallied in his support worldwide. From street demonstrations and local cinema screenings to the mainstream music scene and the UN, the fight to free Assange evolved into a global struggle for press freedom.
Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty development process
This struggle does not end with Assange’s recent release. He has been freed but not exonerated. Many whistleblowers have served long sentences and remain either imprisoned or in exile. Other countries have also begun charging journalists with espionage.
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FINAl
Yet the prolonged battle over Assange has placed the Espionage Act exactly where the US doesn’t want it to be—in the spotlight of the public whose interests the law seeks to ignore. The public is now well-organized and alert. Journalists may step forward and ask questions.
Concept, Script and Storyboards
Milos Kosic in cooperation with Free Assange Berlin
Illustration
Petar Kosic
Animation
Milos Kosic