AssangeDAO member Silke Noa has called for increased transparency regarding the funds spent on Julian Assange’s legal defence. In a recent series of posts on X, Noa revealed that out of the 16,593 Ether (ETH) allocated, an estimated 11,000 ETH—equivalent to $37 million—has been spent on legal defence and campaigning efforts by AssangeDAO’s initiative, The Clock.
AssangeDAO Silke Noa’s Fund Allocation
AssangeDAO, a decentralised autonomous organization, has significantly supported Assange, raising funds through the cryptocurrency community. These funds have been managed by the Wau Holland Foundation, utilizing their Safe global wallet address. Noa pointed out that transparency has become more pressing, as the initial security concerns that warranted limited disclosure may no longer be as relevant.
“Arguably, there were security reasons that prevented full transparency on the fund allocation to not prejudice Julian’s case in the past. But now it is time for Wau Holland Foundation to provide a detailed accounting of how the funds were allocated, as I have repeatedly urged,” Noa stated.
The Future of Assange’s Legal Defence
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been imprisoned since April 2019. His situation has prompted global activism and support, particularly from the digital and crypto communities. AssangeDAO was formed by a coalition of Assange’s friends, family, and Web3 participants who aimed to leverage novel fundraising mechanisms to support his legal defence.
Harry Halpin, CEO of Nym and a friend of Assange, elaborated on the origins of AssangeDAO. “AssangeDAO was started by friends of Julian like myself and Amir Taaki after we saw the amount of money being raised for tokenized NFTs like ConstitutionDAO,” Halpin explained. “We knew Julian’s legal team were running out of money, and given his dire situation, we decided this type of fund-raising could be used for his legal defence.”
According to officials, the DAO was designed to harness the power of on-chain and cypherpunk communities, generating funds through decentralized, community-driven efforts. Joshua Bate, a core team member of AssangeDAO, emphasized the importance of this decentralized approach. “The DAO was formed by Assange’s friends and family, alongside other participants recruited from the Web3 space, to raise money for Julian’s defence using novel fundraising mechanisms that were popular at the time,” Bate said. “The money raised was crowdsourced from on-chain and cypherpunk communities, creating awareness and prompting decentralized community action.”
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Pioneering Initiatives and Community Impact
One notable fundraising effort involved creating and selling a unique non-fungible token (NFT) in collaboration with Assange himself. Bate recounted the significance of this NFT, stating, “All proceeds from the sale of that NFT were then sent to Wau Holland Foundation’s on-chain address and periodically off-ramped to pay for legal fees. The foundation’s innovative spirit allowed this on-chain activism to impact the real world.”
Another core team member, who was instrumental in designing AssangeDAO’s governance structure, spoke about the broader implications of their efforts. “In some sense, perhaps this event will reunite the community again. Pak’s NFT is going to go to ‘0’ when Assange becomes free, I believe. This DAO owns that NFT.” This statement underscores the belief that their collective actions could mark a historical event where an NFT community played a role in freeing someone from imprisonment.
However, the core team member also emphasized that the fight is not over until all matters are resolved. “Until everything is all settled, there can be no celebration.”
Silke Noa’s Call for Transparency
Noa’s call for transparency has generated a significant conversation within the community. The need for accountability in allocating such substantial funds is paramount to maintaining trust and ensuring that the resources are being used effectively for Assange’s defence. The Wau Holland Foundation’s next steps in response to these calls for transparency will be crucial in addressing the concerns raised by Noa and the wider AssangeDAO community.
As the situation unfolds, the efforts of AssangeDAO and its supporters highlight the evolving intersection of cryptocurrency, activism, and legal defence. Their journey reflects a pioneering approach to fundraising and advocacy, leveraging the decentralized nature of blockchain technology to support a cause that has captured global attention. The coverage across BIT Journal and other media outlets underscores the significance of AssangeDAO’s innovative strategies in the digital landscape.
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