Reporters Without Borders and Assange: Why European nations must protect Edward Snowden

[muriel_volestrangler]

On October 12, 2012, the European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize for contributing to the “advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.” The EU should show itself worthy of this honor and show its will to defend freedom of information, regardless of fears of political pressure from its so-called closest ally, the United States.

Now that Edward Snowden, the young American who revealed the global monitoring system known as Prism, has requested asylum from 20 countries, the EU nations should extend a welcome, under whatever law or status seems most appropriate.

Although the United States remains a world leader in upholding the ideal of freedom of expression, the American attitude toward whistleblowers sullies the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

In 2004, the UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression, as well as his counterparts in the Organization of American States and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe issued a joint call to all governments to protect whistleblowers from all “legal, administrative or employment-related sanctions if they act in ‘good faith.’” Whistleblowers were defined as “individuals releasing confidential or secret information although they are under an official or other obligation to maintain confidentiality or secrecy.”
...
http://en.rsf.org/why-european-nations-must-protect-03-07-2013,44886.html

Published as an op-ed in Le Monde.

[xchrom]

1. du rec.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Index on Censorship calls on the EU to protect whistleblowers’ right to freedom of expression

Following reports that some European countries have prevented a plane carrying the Bolivian President Evo Morales into their airspace, Index on Censorship calls on EU members to honour their commitments to freedom of expression.

Index CEO Kirsty Hughes said:

“Members of the EU have a duty to protect freedom of expression and should not interfere in an individual’s rights to seek asylum. Edward Snowden is a whistleblower whose free speech rights should be protected not criminalised.”

http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2013/07/index-on-censorship-calls-on-the-eu-to-protect-whistleblowers-right-to-freedom-of-expression/

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. thanks for posting --- knr

[chimpymustgo]

4. I pray that some brave country will protect Snowden from the wrath of the Empire.