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posted by martyb on Sunday November 01 2015, @05:45AM   Printer-friendly
from the nice-gesture dept.

BRUSSELS — The European Parliament narrowly (285 vs 281 votes) adopted a nonbinding but nonetheless forceful resolution on Thursday urging the 28 nations of the European Union to recognize Edward J. Snowden as a "whistle-blower and international human rights defender" and to shield him from prosecution.

On Twitter, Mr. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked documents about electronic surveillance by the American government, called the vote a "game-changer."

But the resolution has no legal force and limited practical effect for Mr. Snowden, who is living in Russia on a three-year residency permit. Whether to grant Mr. Snowden asylum remains a decision for the individual European governments, and thus far, none have done so.


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  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Sunday November 01 2015, @02:25PM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 01 2015, @02:25PM (#257158) Journal
    Why won't the US grant Snowden asylum? Most of those reasons apply to the no votes on the EU side too. A number of European intelligence agencies got burned by the Snowden revelations. And Snowden getting rewarded for whistleblowing in the EU could encourage EU-side whistleblowing. Finally, I think there's a fair number of people everywhere who think Snowden's actions are betrayal either because snitching is betrayal (no matter what the snitching is about) or because they consider the actions of the state above morality.
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:04PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:04PM (#257268)

    "government of the people, by the people, for the people" yeah right

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:34PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:34PM (#257274) Journal
      Welcome to the world of not legally binding. The Gettysburg Address is just as legally binding as my opinions on sunspots.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:46PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 01 2015, @10:46PM (#257281)

        the constitution is supposed to be legally binding

        apparently 'legally binding' doesn't mean what it used to

        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday November 02 2015, @01:57AM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday November 02 2015, @01:57AM (#257336) Journal
          You quoted from the Gettysburg Address. But I agree that the actions of the NSA revealed by Snowden are illegal and probably unconstitutional as is the US's current treatment of Snowden.
  • (Score: 2) by frojack on Sunday November 01 2015, @11:04PM

    by frojack (1554) on Sunday November 01 2015, @11:04PM (#257290) Journal

    Snitching on government is not only NOT a betrayal, but an obligation.
    NOT Snitching on Government is a betrayal.

    --
    No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.