WASHINGTON: The United States should end its prosecution of Julian Assange, leading media outlets from the United States and Europe that had collaborated with the WikiLeaks founder said on Monday, citing press freedom concerns.
“This indictment sets a dangerous precedent, and threatens to undermine America’s First Amendment and the freedom of the press,” editors and publishers of the Guardian, the New York Times, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, and El País said in an open letter.
Assange is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, related to WikiLeaks’ release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables. His supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimized because he exposed US wrongdoing, including in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Monday marked 12 years since those media outlets collaborated to release excerpts from over 250,000 documents obtained by Assange in the so-called “Cablegate” leak.
The material was leaked to WikiLeaks by the then-American soldier Chelsea Manning and revealed the inner workings of US diplomacy around the globe. The documents exposed “corruption, diplomatic scandals, and spy affairs on an international scale,” the letter said.
In August, a group of journalists and lawyers sued the CIA and its former director, Mike Pompeo, over allegations the intelligence agency spied on them when they visited Assange during his stay in Ecuador’s embassy in London.
Assange spent seven years in the embassy before being dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail conditions. He has remained in prison in London while his extradition case is decided. If extradited to the United States, he faces a sentence of up to 175 years in an American maximum security prison.
His legal team has appealed to the High Court in London to block his extradition in a legal battle that has dragged on for more than a decade.
“Publishing is not a crime,” the media outlets said in their letter on Monday.
Leading media outlets urge US to end prosecution of Julian Assange
https://arab.news/nt4q9
Leading media outlets urge US to end prosecution of Julian Assange
- Guardian, NYT, Le Monde, El País and Der Spiegel editors and publishers said the indictment threatens freedom of the press.
List Magazine launches The List Awards
RIYADH: Luxury travel and lifestyle magazine List has announced the launch of The List Awards, in association with Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.
The List Awards are a first-of-its-kind recognition celebrating excellence across travel, wellness, culture, and fine dining in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region.
Winners will be officially announced in the Winter 2026 edition of the magazine and across its social and digital platforms.
The awards aim to define what world-class excellence looks and feels like in a new era of Saudi hospitality, creativity, and experience-driven living by recognizing establishments and cultural experiences shaping modern luxury in the region.
The selection process is not based on submissions, paid placements or public voting. Instead, List’s editorial team and a panel of independent judges personally experience each venue, brand or experience.
Each entry is then explored, debated, and verified against key criteria: originality, precision, consistency, and relevance to the modern Saudi traveller.
Nóirín Hegarty, List’s editor-in-chief, said: “Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an extraordinary cultural and creative transformation. The List Awards were born from a desire to recognise that energy and define what excellence truly looks like today.
“These awards are not about prestige for its own sake — they are about experience, authenticity, and intent. Every name on the list earned its place because it represents the best of the best and the future of luxury in the region and beyond.”
