Julian Assange files criminal complaint against the Nobel Foundation for turning the Peace Prize into an “instrument of war”

[Sid Shniad]

https://x.com/wikileaks/status/2001277266240921711

WikiLeaks
@wikileaks

Translated from Spanish by Google

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Julian Assange files criminal complaint against the Nobel Foundation for turning the Peace Prize into an “instrument of war” The founder of WikiLeaks alleges that the 2025 award to María Corina Machado constitutes misappropriation and facilitation of war crimes under Swedish law; he seeks to freeze 11 million Swedish kronor (US$1.18 million) in pending transfers to Machado. STOCKHOLM — 11:00 am CET, December 17, 2025 Julian Assange today filed a criminal complaint in Sweden accusing 30 individuals associated with the Nobel Foundation, including its leadership, of committing alleged serious crimes, including gross misappropriation of funds, facilitating war crimes and crimes against humanity, and financing the crime of aggression. The complaint shows that Alfred Nobel's 1895 will explicitly mandates that the peace prize be awarded to the individual who, during the previous year, "has conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" by doing "the greatest or best work for brotherhood between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." Assange argues that “The Norwegian selection committee’s political decision does not suspend the fiduciary duty of the Swedish fund managers.” “Any disbursement that contradicts this mandate constitutes misappropriation of the endowment.” The complaint, filed simultaneously with the Swedish Economic Crimes Authority (Ekobrottsmyndigheten) and the Swedish War Crimes Unit (Krigsbrottsenheten), alleges that the suspects, including Nobel Foundation Chair Astrid Söderbergh Widding and Chief Executive Hanna Stjärne, turned “an instrument of peace into an instrument of war.” This alleged “serious criminality” includes: 1) Gross misappropriation and conspiracy in connection with the outstanding disbursement of 11 million SEK (1.18 million USD) of the Peace Prize money to Maria Corina Machado, whose previous and ongoing actions categorically exclude her from the criteria set forth in Alfred Nobel's will; 2) Facilitation of war crimes, including the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity, in violation of Sweden's obligations under Article 25 (3) (c) of the Rome Statute, because the accused are aware of Machado's incitement and support for the commission of international crimes by the US, and knew or should have known that the disbursement of Nobel money would contribute to extrajudicial executions of civilians and survivors of shipwrecks at sea, and are breaching their obligation to cease disbursements. Assange points out that members of the Nobel Foundation have previously exercised their supervisory authority over the prizes and their disbursements by withholding the Literature Prize disbursements in 2018. “The lack of intervention here, despite US war crimes UU. off the Venezuelan coast and Machado’s key role in promoting aggression,” incurs criminal liability. “Alfred Nobel’s endowment for peace cannot be used to promote war,” Assange declared. The defendants have specific legal obligations “to ensure the fulfillment of the purpose set forth in Alfred Nobel’s will, namely, to end wars and war crimes, and not to facilitate them.” Machado's incitement to the largest US military deployment since the Iraq War makes her categorically ineligible. The complaint points out how the Nobel announcement and ceremony coincided with what military analysts describe as “the largest U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean since the Cuban Missile Crisis”—now exceeding 15,000 troops, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The military buildup continues, as President Trump announced on December 10, two days after the Nobel ceremony, that U.S. attacks would “begin on the ground.” The strategy in Venezuela is part of what Trump’s Secretary of Defense, Peter Hegseth, calls a shift toward “maximum lethality, not tepid legality” and “going on the offensive.” In this context, Assange claims that “Machado has continued to incite the Trump Administration to continue its path of escalation,” even entering into a conspiracy to give the US administration access to $1.7 trillion in oil reserves and other natural resources through privatization once Maduro is overthrown. “Using her elevated position as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Machado may well have tipped the scales in favor of the war, facilitated by the named suspects,” Assange states in the criminal complaint. The complaint lists evidence of this incitement to US military intervention, as well as praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct in Gaza. His statements include: - “Military escalation may be the only way... The United States may need to intervene directly” (October 30, 2025) - Machado described the US military attacks on civilian vessels, which have killed at least 95 people to date, as "justified" and "visionary". - Machado dedicated the award to US President Trump because "he has finally put Venezuela... in terms of priority for the national security of the United States." - Historic statements including his 2014 testimony before the US Congress where he said: "The only path left is the use of force." The report cites extensive opposition from experts and institutions to Machado receiving the peace prize: - 21 Norwegian peace organizations declared: “Machado is the opposite of a Nobel Peace Prize winner.” - Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel declared: “Giving the prize to someone who calls for a foreign invasion is a mockery of Alfred Nobel's will.” - The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) confirmed that Machado “has called for a military intervention in Venezuela.” ACTION REQUESTED The complaint states that "There is a real risk that funds derived from the Nobel endowment have been or are being intentionally or negligently diverted from their charitable purpose to facilitate aggression, crimes against humanity and war crimes." Assange requests that the Swedish authorities: 1. Immediately freeze the pending transfer of the monetary prize of 11,000,000 SEK and any remaining related budget, and ensure the return of the medal. 2. Investigate the named individuals and officials of the Foundation and associated entities for gross misappropriation, facilitating war crimes and crimes against humanity, and conspiracy. 3. Seize the minutes of the board of directors, emails, group chats, and financial records. 4. Interrogate Widding, Stjärne and other suspects. 5. Investigate fully at the national level or refer the matter to the International Criminal Court (Rome Statute Art. 25 (3) (c)) . “This complaint seeks the immediate freezing of all remaining funds and a full criminal investigation to prevent the Nobel Peace Prize from permanently becoming an instrument of war instead of an instrument of peace,” Assange concludes.

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5:04 AM · Dec 17, 2025

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