Sarah Harrison (born c. 1982[1]) is a British journalist, legal researcher, and WikiLeaks section editor. She works with the WikiLeaks Legal Defense and is Julian Assange's closest adviser. Harrison accompanied National Security AgencyleakerEdward Snowden on a high-profile flight from Hong Kong to Moscow while he was sought by the United States government.
Harrison was born to Ian and Jennifer Harrison, respectively, an executive at clothing retailer Burton, and a reading specialist.[1] In her youth, Harrison attended Sevenoaks School, a private school.[1] Her father has said she was a good runner and swimmer.[1] Harrison performed well in her International Baccalaureate exams and took a gap year to travel and ski.[1] She studied English at Queen Mary, University of London.[1] Harrison continued to travel and decided to be a journalist.[1]
In 2009, Harrison became an unpaid intern researcher at the Centre for Investigative Journalism at City University, London, which trains journalists.[1] In 2010, she became a junior researcher at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a new professional organization also at the university.[1] She later graduated from City University London.[3]
As an intern at the Centre, she was assigned to Julian Assange before the Afghan War documents leak.[4] She sorted files about the Iraq War from Assange for future television documentaries.[1] When main members of WikiLeaks left the organisation due to a dispute with Assange, Harrison's role in the organisation increased, particularly with the embassy cable publication and Assange's legal fight against Swedish extradition.[4] Harrison is a WikiLeaks section editor.[5] She works with the WikiLeaks Legal Defense led by Baltasar Garzón,[2] and is reportedly one of Julian Assange's closest advisers.[4]
On 24 June 2013, WikiLeaks said that Harrison accompanied National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden on a high-profile[6] flight from Hong Kong to Moscow en route to political asylum from US extradition.[5][4][6][2] Dominic Rushe of The Guardian observed that Harrison was a "strange choice" because of her lack of legal qualifications compared to other WikiLeaks staff, such as human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson.[4] At the time, she had been with the organisation for over two years.[5] As of the announcement, Harrison and Snowden's final destination are unknown.[4]