After weeks of backlash against whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, founder Julian Assange was arrested on Tuesday. The arrest, however, is said to have nothing to do with his release of hundreds of thousands of classified government documents, but rather was related to alleged sex offenses. Assange was denied bail by a London court and is facing the possibility of extradition to Sweden.

Although the two women who have accused Assange of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion deny that the allegations have anything to do with his WikiLeaks notoriety, it seems as though his arrest is at least partially related to a desire to eventually pin him down on charges related to the leaks. But in the long run, the arrest can only help Assange’s reputation, as the fact that he was arrested on ambiguous charges gives reason for his supporters to cry out in protest.

The lack of details regarding Assange’s relationships with these women makes it unclear as to how legitimate the charges are. But it is doubtful that Assange would be being pursued so intensely had he not already had a target on his back. And the fact that the charges may be trumped up because of Assange’s other actions only gives his supporters more of a reason to vilify those who seek to have him arrested.

Assange has already promised that WikiLeaks’ releases of documents will continue despite his legal situation, and had threatened in the past to release another trove if he were to be arrested. It may well be that this arrest was a rebuke to that warning, designed to send the message that the threat of more releases won’t stop law enforcement from investigating Assange.

However, this effort will most likely turn out to be counterproductive. It is not yet clear just what label best fits Assange. He is considered a truth-seeking crusader to some and a destructive villain to others. But his arrest makes him something else altogether – a martyr, willing to sacrifice his freedom for the great cause of transparency, a cause that appeals to many people around the world.

Assange has dedicated years of his life to the mission of bringing down the giants, exposing government secrets and corporate misconduct in the name of freedom of information. Whether his efforts are for better or for worse is something that history will decide. But having Assange in custody doesn’t solve anything. It merely puts him back in the headlines.