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European Parliament asks member states to grant protection to Edward Snowden

92 points by thejosh 11y ago

BinaryIdiot 11y ago
The most interesting part of this is, of course, the following excerpt: "By 285 votes to 281, MEPs decided to call 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"."
- jackgavigan 11y ago
  Well, they can call all they want but I don't think their opinion will override extradition treaties.
  - binarycrusader 11y ago
    Why not? The US ignores treaties whenever it's sufficiently convenient. But certainly, that is the excuse that will be used.
  - obrero 11y ago
    You mean like when the US refuses to extradite terrorists who bombed commercial airplanes, killing 73 civilians? ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10471965 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10471965 ). US said no to two countries extraditing countries - the ones at both ends of the plane trip.
  - ascorbic 11y ago
    More to the point, none of the national governments particularly care what the EP thinks.
yannis 11y ago
As Snowden twitted: "This is not a blow against the US Government, but an open hand extended by friends. It is a chance to move forward." I hope the US stops for a second and hears the rest of the world and its own citizens.
ionised 11y ago
I don't see this ever happening but it would make me very happy.
icodestuff 11y ago
How is he supposed to get there without a passport?
- joezydeco 11y ago
  Airport Procedure [Germany] Asylum seekers coming to Germany by air from a country of origin considered safe as well as refugees without passport asking for asylum at the airport are subject to the so-called airport procedure. This special procedure was introduced in 1992 when the fundamental right to asylum in the German constitution was altered. They may not leave the area of the airport and are accomodated in the transit area. Their request for asylum is heard and decided on by the BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) in a summary procedure. Only if the request is approved or if the BAMF does not come to a decision within 2 days, will the refugee be allowed to enter Germany and to go through the regular asylum procedure. If, however, the request is refused as 'evidently baseless', the refugee may be deported without further judicial review. His/her only way then to avert this is a claim for [Eilrechtsschutz] which, however, is granted most scarcely. Many refugees in the transit area are awaiting their deportation for weeks. http://www.proasyl.de/en/topics/basics/asylum-from-a-to-z/ http://www.proasyl.de/en/topics/basics/asylum-from-a-to-z/

92 points by thejosh 11y ago

The most interesting part of this is, of course, the following excerpt: "By 285 votes to 281, MEPs decided to call 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"."

jackgavigan 11y ago
Well, they can call all they want but I don't think their opinion will override extradition treaties.
- binarycrusader 11y ago
  Why not? The US ignores treaties whenever it's sufficiently convenient. But certainly, that is the excuse that will be used.
- obrero 11y ago
  You mean like when the US refuses to extradite terrorists who bombed commercial airplanes, killing 73 civilians? ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10471965 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10471965 ). US said no to two countries extraditing countries - the ones at both ends of the plane trip.
- ascorbic 11y ago
  More to the point, none of the national governments particularly care what the EP thinks.

yannis 11y ago

As Snowden twitted: "This is not a blow against the US Government, but an open hand extended by friends. It is a chance to move forward." I hope the US stops for a second and hears the rest of the world and its own citizens.

ionised 11y ago

I don't see this ever happening but it would make me very happy.

icodestuff 11y ago

How is he supposed to get there without a passport?

joezydeco 11y ago
Airport Procedure [Germany] Asylum seekers coming to Germany by air from a country of origin considered safe as well as refugees without passport asking for asylum at the airport are subject to the so-called airport procedure. This special procedure was introduced in 1992 when the fundamental right to asylum in the German constitution was altered. They may not leave the area of the airport and are accomodated in the transit area. Their request for asylum is heard and decided on by the BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) in a summary procedure. Only if the request is approved or if the BAMF does not come to a decision within 2 days, will the refugee be allowed to enter Germany and to go through the regular asylum procedure. If, however, the request is refused as 'evidently baseless', the refugee may be deported without further judicial review. His/her only way then to avert this is a claim for [Eilrechtsschutz] which, however, is granted most scarcely. Many refugees in the transit area are awaiting their deportation for weeks. http://www.proasyl.de/en/topics/basics/asylum-from-a-to-z/ http://www.proasyl.de/en/topics/basics/asylum-from-a-to-z/