Whistleblowers are essential to democracy

Following 12 years of persecution, the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange is at risk of being extradited from the UK to the US, where he faces 17 charges of espionage. If found guilty, that would equate to life imprisonment. But, Bart Cammaerts argues, whistleblowers perform a vital role in democracies, exposing corruption, abuse of power, and even crimes committed by governments. Cases like Assange’s create a chilling effect and set a dangerous precedent.