Wikileaks: Awarded journalism prize in Australia
WikiLeaks has received the Walkley Award for journalism in Australia. In the home country of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, a panel of journalists and photographers determined prior to Sunday’s award announcement that the website had rendered outstanding service to «freedom of expression and transparency.».
For this, the platform was honored as the "best contribution to journalism" in 2011. Wikileaks "courageously" championed the most important tradition of journalism, namely achieving justice through transparency, the citation continued.
Assange expressed his thanks for the award in a video message broadcast by Australian television station SBS. The Australians' fight for freedom of expression, a free internet and "truth as the only weapon" will continue, Assange said. He is under house arrest in the UK until a final decision is made on Sweden's extradition request. Sweden's judiciary wants to question Assange on allegations of sexual harassment and rape. The Australian is alleged to have had unprotected sexual intercourse with two Swedish women without their consent in August 2010. Assange denies this and sees the allegations as a political conspiracy. (SDA)
