European Parliament Votes To Protect Edward Snowden From Extradition To U.S.

The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday calling for European Union member states to drop all charges against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and protect him from being extradited to the United States, where he is wanted for stealing and leaking highly classified documents on mass surveillance programs.

In a close 285-281 vote, Members of the European Parliament (MEPS) called on all European Union countries 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."

The vote was a blatant snub to the Obama administration, who wants Snowden to return from Russia, where he has received temporary asylum, to face charges including two counts of violating the Espionage Act and one count of stealing government property, reports USA Today.

Snowden himself quickly caught wind of the vote and tweeted: "Hearing reports EU just voted 285-281, overcoming huge pressure, to cancel all charges against me and prevent extradition. Game-changer."

"This is not a blow against the US Government, but an open hand extended by friends. It is a chance to move forward," he followed up in another tweet.

The vote truly is a game-changer for Snowden. The United States has extradition policies with all European nations, and if one of those nations refuses to honor their agreement, it could spark an international showdown, notes the Daily Dot.

National Security Council spokesman Ned Price didn't directly address the vote but said in a statement to the Daily Dot: "Our position has not changed. Mr. Snowden is accused of leaking classified information and faces felony charges here in the United States. As such, he should be returned to the U.S. as soon as possible, where he will be accorded full due process."

Wolfgang Kaleck, Snowden's lawyer in Berlin, said in a statement to the media outlet: "We welcome today's decision of the European Parliament recognizing Edward Snowden as a human rights defender and calling upon member states to grant him protection from prosecution. It is an overdue step and we urge the member States to act now to implement the resolution."

Snowden, 32, was working for the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton when he gave newspapers a trove of information documenting how U.S. intelligence agencies collect nearly all the electronic data of citizens. The Guardian and The Washington Post published their first reports in June 2013.

Snowden claims he would come back to the U.S. only if he is permitted to have a fair trial, but another one of his lawyers, Anatoly Kucherena, said that the Department of Justice could only promise "that Snowden will not be executed, not that he will receive a fair trail," reported Newsweek.

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European Parliament, Eu, European Union, Edward Snowden, Whistleblower, Extradition, NSA, Surveillance, Spying