EU Parliament Votes for Dropped Charges, Asylum Protection for Snowden
Resolution passed by European Parliament Thursday calls on member states to prevent whistleblower's extradition, rendition
The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday urging its nations to afford NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden protection.
Passed by a 285 to 281 vote, the resolution calls on EU member states to "drop any criminal charges against Edward Snowden, grant him protection and consequently prevent extradition or rendition by third parties, in recognition of his status as whistle-blower and international human rights defender."
Snowden, who's been residing in Russia since 2013, responded to the resolution on Twitter by calling it a "game-changer":
While the resolution is not binding, Wolfgang Kaleck, Snowden's lawyer in Berlin, told the Daily Dot in an email, "It is an overdue step, and we urge the member States to act now to implement the resolution."
The U.S.-based digital rights group Fight for the Future also welcomed the news. Evan Greer, the organization's campaign director, said, "We hope that this resolution leads to a binding agreement in the EU that allows Edward Snowden to move to whichever EU country he wants, and we hope he gets an epic party thrown in his honor when he arrives."
"The battle over mass government surveillance is a decisive moment in the history of humanity, and it's hard to think of anyone who has done more than Edward Snowden to educate the public about the grave risks that runaway spying programs pose to our basic human rights, the future of the Internet, and freedom of expression," he added.
The World Wide Web Foundation, founded by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, advocates for an open Internet and called it a "landmark resolution." In a statement, it added, "We call on national leaders to publicly commit to respecting the will of the European people and offering Snowden asylum."
Berners-Lee said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything session last year that Snowden "should be protected, and we should have ways of protecting people like him. We can try to design perfect systems of government, and they will never be perfect. When they fail, then the whistleblower may be all that saves society."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday urging its nations to afford NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden protection.
Passed by a 285 to 281 vote, the resolution calls on EU member states to "drop any criminal charges against Edward Snowden, grant him protection and consequently prevent extradition or rendition by third parties, in recognition of his status as whistle-blower and international human rights defender."
Snowden, who's been residing in Russia since 2013, responded to the resolution on Twitter by calling it a "game-changer":
While the resolution is not binding, Wolfgang Kaleck, Snowden's lawyer in Berlin, told the Daily Dot in an email, "It is an overdue step, and we urge the member States to act now to implement the resolution."
The U.S.-based digital rights group Fight for the Future also welcomed the news. Evan Greer, the organization's campaign director, said, "We hope that this resolution leads to a binding agreement in the EU that allows Edward Snowden to move to whichever EU country he wants, and we hope he gets an epic party thrown in his honor when he arrives."
"The battle over mass government surveillance is a decisive moment in the history of humanity, and it's hard to think of anyone who has done more than Edward Snowden to educate the public about the grave risks that runaway spying programs pose to our basic human rights, the future of the Internet, and freedom of expression," he added.
The World Wide Web Foundation, founded by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, advocates for an open Internet and called it a "landmark resolution." In a statement, it added, "We call on national leaders to publicly commit to respecting the will of the European people and offering Snowden asylum."
Berners-Lee said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything session last year that Snowden "should be protected, and we should have ways of protecting people like him. We can try to design perfect systems of government, and they will never be perfect. When they fail, then the whistleblower may be all that saves society."
The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday urging its nations to afford NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden protection.
Passed by a 285 to 281 vote, the resolution calls on EU member states to "drop any criminal charges against Edward Snowden, grant him protection and consequently prevent extradition or rendition by third parties, in recognition of his status as whistle-blower and international human rights defender."
Snowden, who's been residing in Russia since 2013, responded to the resolution on Twitter by calling it a "game-changer":
While the resolution is not binding, Wolfgang Kaleck, Snowden's lawyer in Berlin, told the Daily Dot in an email, "It is an overdue step, and we urge the member States to act now to implement the resolution."
The U.S.-based digital rights group Fight for the Future also welcomed the news. Evan Greer, the organization's campaign director, said, "We hope that this resolution leads to a binding agreement in the EU that allows Edward Snowden to move to whichever EU country he wants, and we hope he gets an epic party thrown in his honor when he arrives."
"The battle over mass government surveillance is a decisive moment in the history of humanity, and it's hard to think of anyone who has done more than Edward Snowden to educate the public about the grave risks that runaway spying programs pose to our basic human rights, the future of the Internet, and freedom of expression," he added.
The World Wide Web Foundation, founded by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee, advocates for an open Internet and called it a "landmark resolution." In a statement, it added, "We call on national leaders to publicly commit to respecting the will of the European people and offering Snowden asylum."
Berners-Lee said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything session last year that Snowden "should be protected, and we should have ways of protecting people like him. We can try to design perfect systems of government, and they will never be perfect. When they fail, then the whistleblower may be all that saves society."