Above photo: Lewis Joly/Invision/AP.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has filed a criminal complaint in Sweden.
Accusing Nobel Foundation officials of misusing prize funds to promote war and aggression.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange filed a criminal complaint on December 17, accusing 30 individuals linked to the Nobel Foundation of serious offenses under Swedish law, including gross misappropriation of funds, facilitation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and financing the crime of aggression.
The complaint, submitted to both the Swedish Economic Crime Authority and the Swedish War Crimes Unit, demands the immediate freezing of the SEK 11 million ($1.18 million USD) Nobel Peace Prize funds awarded to Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado.
Assange argues that the disbursement would violate Alfred Nobel’s will and fund actions that have led to “extrajudicial killings of civilians and shipwrecked survivors at sea.”
“This complaint seeks the immediate freezing of all remaining funds and a full criminal investigation lest the Nobel Peace Prize be permanently converted from an instrument of peace into an instrument of war,” Assange stated.
Machado accused of inciting US aggression in Venezuela
According to the complaint, Machado’s endorsement of foreign military intervention in Venezuela, including her praise for the Trump administration’s escalating military buildup, renders her categorically ineligible under Nobel’s original peace criteria.
Citing direct quotes from Machado, Assange claims she has openly supported US military action, including:
- Calling U.S. strikes on civilian vessels “justified” and “visionary”
- Declaring that “military escalation may be the only way”
- Publicly dedicating her Nobel Prize to US President Donald Trump
- Endorsing the U.S. strategy to prioritize “maximum lethality” in Venezuela
Assange’s filing states that the disbursement of prize funds to Machado would directly support ongoing US military aggression, and those overseeing the transfer are therefore complicit.
Nobel prize fund misuse violates Alfred Nobel’s original will, says Assange
Assange’s legal argument centers on the claim that the award violates Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will, which mandates that the peace prize be given to the individual who has done “the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the promotion of peace congresses.”
“Alfred Nobel’s endowment for peace cannot be spent on the promotion of war,” the filing states. “Any disbursement contradicting this mandate constitutes misappropriation from the endowment.”
The complaint highlights that the Nobel Foundation has previously withheld prize disbursements, such as the Literature Prize in 2018, and therefore has both the authority and the obligation to intervene.
War crimes, conspiracy, and misappropriation cited under Swedish law
Assange argues that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Machado, given her calls for the overthrow of Venezuela’s government and support for US military operations, violates several articles of Swedish and international law.
Citing Article 25(3)(c) of the Rome Statute, the complaint alleges that Nobel Foundation officials are facilitating war crimes and crimes against humanity by knowingly enabling a political figure whose actions have led to civilian deaths and regional destabilization.
He calls on Swedish authorities to:
- Freeze the pending Nobel disbursement and secure the return of the prize medal
- Investigate all suspects for breach of trust, conspiracy, and war crimes facilitation
- Seize communications, financial records, and internal minutes
- Interrogate Foundation Chair Astrid Söderbergh Widding, Executive Director Hanna Stjärne, and other suspects
- Refer the case to the International Criminal Court if necessary
International reactions question Nobel’s credibility
The filing also includes a long list of critical reactions from global experts and human rights groups. Among them:
- 21 Norwegian peace organizations declared that “Machado is the opposite of a peace laureate.”
- Nobel laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel condemned the award as “a mockery of Alfred Nobel’s will.”
- The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) confirmed that Machado had “called for military intervention in Venezuela.”
Assange asserts that allowing the prize to proceed undermines the Nobel Foundation’s global credibility and violates both its fiduciary duty and moral obligation under Swedish law.
