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Politician: Call Snowden to Germany as witness

106 points by NonEUCitizen 13y ago

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
temp5207 13y ago
Sure, let's grant him a safe passage to our jurisdiction so he could testify in a trial. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus
- 9h1d9j809s 13y ago
  Very funny. That was in 1414 in the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation). How is this related to the Federal Republic of Germany in 2013?
  - digitalengineer 13y ago
    We've come a long way since 1414: "After a few weeks, his opponents succeeded in imprisoning him, on the strength of a rumor that he intended to flee". "...the person who promised 'save passage'.. was told that he could not be bound by promises to a heretic" "Hus was not allowed an advocate for his defense" "..he remained [in the dungeon] for 73 days, separated from his friends, chained day and night, poorly fed, and ill." (Edit: and he was burned at the stake).
- pivnicek 13y ago
  Haha. Very good play. A history lesson no bohemian will ever forget.
- 1337biz 13y ago
  Oh come on, you didn't have to create a temp account for that. This is one of the reason why I am coming to hn - to learn something that goes far beyond the realm of regular discussions.
alan_cx 13y ago
Don't know how separated the German judiciary is from its government, which seems contradictory on its position, but for Snowden to accept some sort of German judicial protection would be on hell of a gamble. Could be a great solution, but could also result in a one way ticket to the US. At least Germany has a reasonable and comparatively open political and legal system, which doesn't rely on politics and cash in the bank. On the face of it, if the Germans did go this way, in the way suggested, I think I'd take it. But Im willing to bet nothing is quite that simple, or likely.
- 9h1d9j809s 13y ago
  It's a gamble no matter what he does. Of all Western countries, this is probably the best choice he can make.
  - contingencies 13y ago
    New Zealand would have been a fair option, they have pretty anti-US sentiment historically and that has been recently fanned by the MAFIAA's raid on Mr. Dotcom's house.
    - mainevent 13y ago
      They also have a very cozy intelligence relationship with the US government and, along with the UK, Canada and Australia, are in fact classed as a "2nd party partner" by the United States. [1] [1] http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/secret-documents-nsa-targeted-germany-and-eu-buildings-a-908609.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/secret-documents-n...
      - ra 13y ago
        Agreed. NZ is one of the five eyes and relies quite heavily on the ANZUS treaty for defence. In Snowdons case I'd avoid NZ - even if it was possible to get there without flying through psuedo-US controlled airspace.
    - threeseed 13y ago
wwhitman 13y ago
"Please step into the courtroom Mr. Snowden." "That's an airplane." "Yeah"
donretag 13y ago
Speaking of courts, I have been wondering about another legal angle. What happens to someone that commits a crime in the transit area? What would happen if Snowden punched someone? Would they be escorted out of the transit area or do transit areas have detention centers for criminals (crimes against the local laws)? Can they be tried in court and imprisoned? Can someone commit a misdemeanor, got to jail for a small amount of time, and then be escorted to the border?
w_t_payne 13y ago
Don't know about Germany, but in the UK the government gets it's backside whupped by the legal system on a regular basis.

106 points by NonEUCitizen 13y ago

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

Sure, let's grant him a safe passage to our jurisdiction so he could testify in a trial. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus

9h1d9j809s 13y ago
Very funny. That was in 1414 in the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation). How is this related to the Federal Republic of Germany in 2013?
- digitalengineer 13y ago
  We've come a long way since 1414: "After a few weeks, his opponents succeeded in imprisoning him, on the strength of a rumor that he intended to flee". "...the person who promised 'save passage'.. was told that he could not be bound by promises to a heretic" "Hus was not allowed an advocate for his defense" "..he remained [in the dungeon] for 73 days, separated from his friends, chained day and night, poorly fed, and ill." (Edit: and he was burned at the stake).
pivnicek 13y ago
Haha. Very good play. A history lesson no bohemian will ever forget.
1337biz 13y ago
Oh come on, you didn't have to create a temp account for that. This is one of the reason why I am coming to hn - to learn something that goes far beyond the realm of regular discussions.

alan_cx 13y ago

Don't know how separated the German judiciary is from its government, which seems contradictory on its position, but for Snowden to accept some sort of German judicial protection would be on hell of a gamble. Could be a great solution, but could also result in a one way ticket to the US. At least Germany has a reasonable and comparatively open political and legal system, which doesn't rely on politics and cash in the bank. On the face of it, if the Germans did go this way, in the way suggested, I think I'd take it. But Im willing to bet nothing is quite that simple, or likely.

9h1d9j809s 13y ago
It's a gamble no matter what he does. Of all Western countries, this is probably the best choice he can make.
- contingencies 13y ago
  New Zealand would have been a fair option, they have pretty anti-US sentiment historically and that has been recently fanned by the MAFIAA's raid on Mr. Dotcom's house.
  - mainevent 13y ago
    They also have a very cozy intelligence relationship with the US government and, along with the UK, Canada and Australia, are in fact classed as a "2nd party partner" by the United States. [1] [1] http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/secret-documents-nsa-targeted-germany-and-eu-buildings-a-908609.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/secret-documents-n...
    - ra 13y ago
      Agreed. NZ is one of the five eyes and relies quite heavily on the ANZUS treaty for defence. In Snowdons case I'd avoid NZ - even if it was possible to get there without flying through psuedo-US controlled airspace.
  - threeseed 13y ago

wwhitman 13y ago

"Please step into the courtroom Mr. Snowden." "That's an airplane." "Yeah"

donretag 13y ago

Speaking of courts, I have been wondering about another legal angle. What happens to someone that commits a crime in the transit area? What would happen if Snowden punched someone? Would they be escorted out of the transit area or do transit areas have detention centers for criminals (crimes against the local laws)? Can they be tried in court and imprisoned? Can someone commit a misdemeanor, got to jail for a small amount of time, and then be escorted to the border?

w_t_payne 13y ago

Don't know about Germany, but in the UK the government gets it's backside whupped by the legal system on a regular basis.