The Political Insider – by Kosar
Sadly, while Julian Assange is held up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London without internet, we have learned tragic news. The founder and director of WikiLeaks, Gavin Macfadyen, has died.
At age 76, he was the the director of Wikileaks and also the founder of the Centre for Investigative Journalism.
As RT reports,
He was a mentor and friend to famous whistleblower and co-founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, as well as the director of the publication. Paying tribute to their head, WikiLeaks published a post on the group’s Twitter account saying MacFadyen “now takes his fists and his fight to battle God.”
The post is signed “JA,” indicating that the phrase belongs directly to Julian Assange, with WikiLeaks claiming that, despite the whistleblower being deprived of internet access in his suite in the Ecuadorian embassy for a week now, he has been able to contact them and is “still in full command.”
The CIJ team also published an address from MacFadyen’s wife and member of Julian Assange’s Defense Fund, Susan Benn, who described her husband as a “larger-than-life person,” with gratitude and respect.
“He was the model of what a journalist should be… He spearheaded the creation of a journalistic landscape which has irrevocably lifted the bar for ethical and hard-hitting reporting. Gavin worked tirelessly to hold power to account.
“His life and how he lived it were completely in sync with the principles that he held dear and practiced as a journalist and educator – to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” Benn wrote.
Recounting her husband’s achievements, she said he had produced and directed more than 50 investigative documentaries covering diverse and multiple countries and problems. She also noted that he had been banned from apartheid South Africa and the Soviet Union for his investigative work, and was also attacked by British Neo-Nazis.
The cause of MacFadyens’ death has not been been made public. Questions are being raised after the original post from Susan mentioned he died from “a short illness,” before it was edited to remove that line.
Gavin Macfadyen, beloved director of WikiLeaks, now takes his fists and his fight to battle God. Sock it to him, forever, Gavin. -JA pic.twitter.com/7zyzs1Qxxk
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 23, 2016
MacFadyen spoke this year about the dangers faced at WikiLeaks, and how dangerous their involvement in the 2016 presidential election will be. He was hopeful that documents would continue to flow in from other whistleblowers who were willing to expose corruption in American politics.
Was foul play involved? Questions are being raised, after WikiLeaks added fuel to the fire of conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and DNC staffer Seth Rich. Let us hope this isn’t the case.
Let us pray for Macfadyen’s family during this sad time. Rest in peace.
Read more: http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/breaking-founder-wikileaks-dead/#ixzz4OBrM8qwQ
A sad day for the whole world wanting truthful journalism.