Amnesty International has issued a statement criticizing the Obama Administration’s prosecution of Edward Snowden. While the media has largely yielded to demands from the White House not to call Snowden a “whistleblower,” Amnesty International views him in this light and specifically objects to the use of the Espionage Act by the Obama Administration in this case. I discuss the charges against Snowden in a column today in USA Today.
Widney Brown, Senior Director of International Law and Policy at Amnesty International stated that “No one should be charged under any law for disclosing information of human rights violations by the US government. Such disclosures are protected under the rights to information and freedom of expression.” The organization further stated that “[h]is forced transfer to the USA would put him at great risk of human rights violations and must be challenged.”
The position of Amnesty International could prove helpful to Snowden. Even with countries with an extradition treaty with the United States, there is an exception for criminal charges viewed as political or cases involving a dissident. Moreover, countries can consider the denial of due process in the requesting country. Many Americans may be surprised to learn that the United Stats is increasing viewed as a country that is a menace to due process in the denial of basic rights and a heavily skewed legal system in national security cases. It is important to remember that President Obama has retained the claimed authority to send some people to real courts and some to military tribunals on his discretion alone. The use of the Espionage Act only magnifies those concerns from many civil libertarians.
The charge appears in part a desire to paint Snowden in the most sinister light. The White House and its allies appear surprised by how, despite such efforts, many Americans and people around the world view Snowden as not just a whistleblower but a hero. Even if you do not view him in such a light, he does appear to be a source of a journalist. President Obama is responsible for 70 percent of all charges brought under the 1917 act — targeting sources of journalists. This comes after his administration was found to have put journalists under surveillance and called one reporter a possible criminal conspirator for speaking with a source. The Justice Department would have been wiser to focus on the crimes of theft and disclosure of classified information.
The Administration could not be working harder to create a defense to extradition for Snowden. The rhetoric and the charges in the case make this look more and more political and undermine assurances of fair treatment in the eyes of many abroad. This may be why the United States is now putting such pressure on Russia to return him in transit. Once he arrives and is admitted into a country, a long extradition process will follow where these issues can be explored. That can be avoided if he is simply put on a plane to New York. Russia however appears not inclined to help according to reports out this morning.
Source: Amnesty
LK,
A good PR play back home to quell those in dissent with many of his recent actions against the Russian people. Then again, that presupposes Putin cares. It kind of depends upon how Stalin-esque the man really is.
Raff,
Saw a clip that Ruseia Sid some low level person in Russia did not know who he was an had authentic travel papers…. So he Did not question them…
What do you expect when the criminalities availed by various Constitutional abrogations are allowed to continue. Please read https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!topic/harrietrobbins/IjKHBTYEsA0 for a better understanding of this statement.
While I would not mention Snowden’s name alongside Nathan Hale just yet, I think he will gain asylum somewhere and be in possession of enough information to use as a bargaining chip. The latest news states that he never entered Russia so Where’s Waldo Snowden?
Maybe he’s going to Cuba for the “free” healthcare system. Or maybe it because of the high literacy rate. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to read whatever he wants. And look what happened to Chavez. Iceland would maybe be a better choice but Anthony Bourdain has said they have the worst food of any country he has visited.
What’s in it for Putin? That’s the only relevant question for Putin. Snowden is in grave danger, as much from his ‘friends’ as ‘enemies’ IMO.
Gene:
“Irony. It goes good with coffee.”
LOL! I love it!
“I hear tell the US is planning a rendition party where ever he ends up”
Ya reckon? Unless a major power takes him in, the chances he gets whisked away in a black helicopter or “killed resisting apprehension” are pretty good with the lot of fascists we have running Washington. As Bob K. says, kinda makes one proud enough of their country to soil themselves.
I’m hoping Russia comes around. As much as I dislike Putin, taking Snowden in would be a win for him. It’d piss off Washington, sure, but it’d give him a “I fight for right” card to play at home which he desperately needs (whether he thinks so or not).
He may be in Cuba…. I hear tell the US is planning a rendition party where ever he ends up….
Thank you for the good news, Jonathan Turley.
I was disappointed in John Kerry, calling upon Russia to extradite Snowden to the U.S.A.
Kerry’s on the wrong side.
I hope that Mr. Snowden makes it to Ecuador. For all of us.
Not that the NSA band of patriotic thugs wouldn’t violate international law and kidnap or assassinate him in Ecuador.
I’m so proud of my country, I could just soil myself.
The names of Patrick Manning and Edward Snowden will take their place in history beside Nathan Hale.
Lets give Obama a break…. He’s only furthering the Human Rights Violation established under the Bush Administration….. So Aptly called George W. Obama…..
Excellent.
And to put further perspective on G.Mason’s comment:
The guy who claimed an ultra vires Presidential power to assassinate American citizens without due process is calling a whistleblower who outted the government for rights violations a “traitor”.
Irony. It goes good with coffee.
There has to be something wrong. Mr. O was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. I saw him speak in 2008 and looked in his eye when he said there was a different way of doing things than the GWB way. I saw the reports of he beer summit when he called a police department racist. Leave the man alone, he is governing in the most benign way and is such a benevolent dictator that I feel so safe. All this news about him ordering drone attacks on civilian s around the world, collecting phone records of all the people who own phones in the U.S, collecting internet traffic. All this stuff has to be in error, he wouldn’t do such a thing. He even told us how transparant all this is.
I am pretty sure that history is going to be a B for this man and his minions. I just worry about the precedent that is being set that says to the next “leader”, lie through your teeth, the public doesn’t care.
“Amnesty International has issued a statement criticizing the Obama Administration’s prosecution of Edward Snowden.”
Good for them.
Irony: Prior to World War Two, the United States wasn’t the world’s super-power and somewhat isolationist. England was the world’s super-power and lost that status in less than 4 years.
Today the U.S. government is coercing and bullying sovereign nations around the globe to avoid embarrassment and avoid accountability. We blatantly violate international laws and agreements.
Snowden is just a symptom of this larger hubris of the U.S. government! The bigger issue is how do we rein it in?
Mr. Snowden has transitioned from whisleblower/hero/traitor/thief (take your pick) to pawn.
The U.S. wants Snowden back (for retribution, deterrence, to shut him up or simply for prestige reasons) and they will do/pay whatever necessary to get him.
Pres. Putin now has a valuable chip. What will he get in return? Don’t know – we may never know – but he probably will get something valuable and Snowden will become “Defendant Snowden” in Virginia.
Bruce this is not about partisan politics. Russia would do the same to any other. Partisan politics are how both parties have been lost to corruption.
Obama is more of a traitor than Snowden.
Let’s face it Obama’s a WIMP, he doesn’t get the respect of the other world leaders. In a stare down who would you take Putin or Obama?