The document outlines 10 tactics that have been used to silence Wikileaks, including targeted surveillance of journalists, technical threats, legal threats, preventing access to funding, media smear campaigns, and discrimination. It also lists instruments that Wikileaks and its supporters have used to counter these attacks, such as encryption, decentralized infrastructure, alternative currencies, solidarity networks, and seeking support from the UN, EU, and governments. The document warns that stating "Julian Assange has no First Amendment rights" sets a serious precedent that could block scrutiny of government wrongdoings and allow selective application of free speech protections. It argues that whistleblowers and publishers like Wikileaks must have international legal protections to prevent governments from intimidating dissent.

1. The Case against
Julian Assange
Prepared by: Renata Avila, Courage Foundation
Trustee and Legal Advisor for Wikileaks and
Julian Assange

4. 10 tactics to silence
Wikileaks
• Targeted surveillance of journalist
and massive surveillance of
readers
• Technical threats (DDoS to the
Website, hacking attempts, slow
Internet)
• Legal threats and actions directly
linked to publishing.
• Legal threats of other kinds and
abuse of process.
• Not a journalist organization Non –
State Agent
• Financial blockade and diversion of
funding.
• Providers under threat refusing to
sell services to WL.
• Media smear campaigns and
commissioned books and films.
•
• Discrimination - Different treatment
to cases concerning WL and their
members.
• Seized property, including laptops
belonging to members of the legal
team.

8. Instruments to counter
attacks
• Encryption and sophisticated digital
hygiene.
• Decentralised technical
infrastructure.
• Alternative currencies and
decentralised services.
• Solidarity network including lawyers
and journalists, human rights
organizations.
• Government support.
• UN Mechanisms including Special
Rapporteurs, UNHCHR.
• Regional Courts such as the
Interamerican Court of Human
Rights, the European Court of
Human Rights.
• Political support at the EU, Latin
American, National and municipal
level.
• Grassroots support.
• Pro bono legal advice and
donations.

10. Attacks 2.0
Publishers and
Whistleblowers v.
Trump
2017

12. “Julian Assange has no First Amendment rights.”

13. Why is this serious and
urgent?
- Blocking any possibility of uncovering the
wrongdoings of National Security and
Intelligence spaces, effectively putting people at
risk.
- Selective, arbitrary application of First
Amendment Rights.
- Blocking the possibility of scrutiny by foreign
governments.

14. The threat is real

15. Whistleblower Protections Must
Include Publishers Like WikiLeaks
and Julian Assange

16. By recognizing human rights
monitors and whistleblowers and
their publishers as a 'vulnerable
group,' the EU could provide a
protected status similar to that
available to other groups at risk of
persecution.

17. Without adequate international legal
protections for publishers,
governments like the US will continue
their war on dissent and
whistleblowers, intimidating
publishers and cutting to the heart of
free speech.