WikiLeaks has published 10 million documents over the last 10 years — an average of 3,000 documents per day. What are the top 10?

To celebrate WikiLeaks’ achievements over the last 10 years, a contingency of the Solidarity Vigil gathered outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, commemorating the publishing organisation’s 10th Birthday. With a cake, Birthday wishes, and special guest @EmbassyCat, an inspiration in counterpurveillance, we stood outside the place of refuge for the WikiLeaks Editor Julian Assange, enjoying the solidarity action, standing in support with a simple message: “Thank you WikiLeaks” for the gifts of knowledge, the inspiration, the bravery and for the sacrifice you have endured.

Julian Assange has spent 6 years of his life caught in a web of political persecution. A legal case in Sweden, politicised and unjust keeps him detained, a detention deemed Arbitrary by the United Nations Working Group of Arbitrary detention in February this year. UNWGAD states Julian Assange has to be freed and compensated. Neither UK nor Sweden respect their international obligations refusing to comply with the UNWGAD legal opinion. At the same time the threats on his life, his freedom and his publishing work continue. We stand in solidarity to Julian Assange defending him and his right to freedom.

Among us, Peter Tatchell of the Tatchell Foundation said a few words that expressed the feelings of many. He said:

“We are here to celebrate 10 years of WikiLeaks. Blowing the whistle on state spying, war crimes and public deception. We the people have a right to know what governments are doing in our name and its often only thanks to WikiLeaks that we know about government decisions taken behind closed doors without any public accountability. So, WikiLeaks have performed a very important, valuable public service. They’ve shone a light on things done by governments in our name which previously we knew nothing about. In a democracy, transparency and accountability of government is essential. WikiLeaks has been the watchdog, the whistleblower, the public protector of our right to know.”

As the work of WikiLeaks continues, our solidarity work keeps going, vigils, protests, letter writing, standing up for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, on the street, in social media, spreading their work and their message: Justice through Transparency. In a world where the truth is so easily lost through the machinations of power and corruption, WikiLeaks is the beacon that shows the way and inspires others to reveal to the world how power works and operates. Such work enlightens, plants the seed of social progress and change to come.

Love and solidarity for those who act in defence of civil society. Thank you WikiLeaks!