Julian Assange has filed a criminal complaint in Sweden against the Nobel Foundation after Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize, calling the award a "gross misappropriation" and alleging it could facilitate war crimes. He cited Machado’s support for Donald Trump’s campaign against Nicolás Maduro and argued the prize breaches Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will. Assange requested a freeze on the 11 million kronor prize money; Swedish police confirmed receipt but the Economic Crime Authority says it lacks jurisdiction.
Assange Files Criminal Complaint Over Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize, Seeks Freeze On Prize Money
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says the Nobel Peace Prize should go to someone who promotes 'fraternity' between nations (Sameer AL-DOUMY)(Sameer AL-DOUMY/AFP/AFP)
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lodged a criminal complaint in Sweden against the Nobel Foundation after Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
In a document shared by WikiLeaks on social media, Assange describes the award as a "gross misappropriation" of funds and accuses the foundation of enabling the "facilitation of war crimes" under Swedish law. He has asked Swedish authorities to freeze the 11 million kronor (about $1.18 million) in prize money earmarked for Machado.
Allegations and Legal Basis
Assange argues Machado’s support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign against Venezuela’s leftist leader Nicolás Maduro undermines the spirit of Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will, which stipulates the Peace Prize should reward work "for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
According to WikiLeaks, there is a "real risk" that the funds could be diverted from their charitable purpose to "facilitate aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes."
Practical And Jurisdictional Issues
Although the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo, the Nobel Foundation — based in Stockholm and responsible for managing prize finances — is the target of Assange's complaint. Swedish police confirmed they have received the filing. The Swedish Economic Crime Authority said it does not have jurisdiction to investigate the matter.
Assange has accused roughly 30 officials connected to the Nobel Foundation of turning "an instrument of peace into an instrument of war," and WikiLeaks posted the complaint publicly while AFP sought comment from the foundation.
Background On Assange
Assange was released from Britain’s Belmarsh Prison in 2024 under a plea deal after years of legal battles tied to the publication of hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. government documents. He previously spent seven years inside Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden on sexual assault allegations that were later dropped.
What Happens Next: Swedish authorities will determine whether the complaint warrants a formal investigation; the matter also raises cross-border legal questions about the roles of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Stockholm-based Nobel Foundation in handling prize funds.
