EU Wants to Grant Edward Snowden Protection Against Extradition
The parliament of the European Union voted on Thursday to call its member nations to grant former NSA contractor and whistle-blower Edward Snowden asylum.
According to CNN, 285 members voted for and 281 voted against Thursday’s non-legally binding resolution, which simply pushes the issue to all EU member nations. The vote itself doesn’t grant Snowden any protections, but it does ask the EU to drop extradition charges against the exiled American and “his status as whistle-blower and international human rights defender.”
Snowden tweeted at length about the resolution, calling it “extraordinary” and emphasizing that it wasn’t “a blow against” the United States, but an “open hand extended by friends.”
Hearing reports EU just voted 285-281, overcoming huge pressure, to cancel all charges against me and prevent extradition. Game-changer.
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) October 29, 2015
Extraordinary. Reports appear to be true. https://t.co/rQtDHfYTyj pic.twitter.com/AfYm86eGwy
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) October 29, 2015
This is not a blow against the US Government, but an open hand extended by friends. It is a chance to move forward. pic.twitter.com/fBs5H32wyD
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) October 29, 2015
Despite the political display in Europe, however, the U.S. State Department’s stance on Snowden’s status remains the same as ever. According to State Department spokesperson John Kirby, Snowden “needs to come back to the United States and face the due process and the judicial process here in the United States. That’s been our position from the beginning. It’s our belief that the man put U.S. national security in great danger and he needs to be held account to that.”
[h/t CNN]
[Image via screengrab]
