2026-11-19 –, Cotton Theatre - Freedom Stage
A brief introduction by Nils Melzer, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, on the real life story documented in The Six Billion Dollar Man.
Nils Melzer served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture from 2016 to 2022. Overcoming initial skepticism, his official investigation into the case of Julian Assange unmasked a state-led campaign of political persecution that violated the Convention against Torture. Author of The Trial of Julian Assange and featured in Eugene Jarecki’s award-winning documentary The Six Billion Dollar Man, Melzer joins Bitfest to deliver a personal opening testimony ahead of the film's screening.
Nils Melzer is a leading international law expert and systemic reformer who has served for 30 years on the operational, diplomatic, and academic frontlines of the international system - from war zones in the Balkans and the Middle East to senior leadership roles, including as UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, ICRC Director of Law, Policy & Diplomacy, and Professor of International Law. Most widely known for his official investigation and engagement in the case of Julian Assange, his current work focuses on integrating neurobiology, digital technology, and systems engineering to co-create decentralized, cooperative governance architectures, including contribution-based monetary alternatives to state-led fiat currencies.