WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said he intends to file a formal complaint over the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition politician Maria Corina Machado. In his view, the decision runs counter both to the spirit of the prize and to its formal criteria.
Assange argues that Machado has been involved in facilitating war crimes and the misuse of funds. At the same time, he accuses the Nobel Foundation of violating Alfred Nobel’s will, which states that the prize should be awarded to those who have «conferred the greatest benefit on mankind» by promoting «fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the holding of peace congresses».
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As part of the complaint, Assange is also calling for the suspension of the monetary component of the prize, amounting to $1.2m, pending review.