EU-DIGEST

Four French MPs are pushing for Julian Assange to be offered asylum in France amid the WikiLeaks founder’s ongoing fight against extradition from the UK to the US.

Jennifer De Temmerman, Jean Lassalle, Cedric Villani and Francois Ruffin are due to speak at a press conference in Paris on 1 February where they will explain why Assange -- currently in prison in the UK -- should be given sanctuary in France.

Assange’s defence team announced in February 2020 that it would be seeking asylum for him in France, ahead of the hearing in the UK on whether the 50-year-old should be extradited to the US for trial.

Read more at: Julian Assange: MPs push for WikiLeaks founder to be granted political asylum in France | Euronews

Russian President Vladimir Putin keeps insisting that he doesn't want the case of a fugitive American intelligence contractor to harm relations between Russia and the United States.

But Edward Snowden remains an irritant, stuck in diplomatic limbo in the transit area of a Moscow airport.

A Putin spokesman said Friday that the issue is being discussed by the Russian federal security service — the FSB — and the FBI, but it may be that Snowden has become a problem that can only be solved at the top of the two governments.

For its part, the Obama administration seems to be trying to chip away at Russian objections to returning Snowden to the United States.

Attorney General Eric Holder wrote a letter to Russian officials this week in which he gave assurances that Snowden would not face the death penalty and would not be tortured if Russia sends him back. He said the former NSA contractor would have the full protection of the U.S. civilian court system.

Some Russia officials who favor giving asylum to Snowden have cited all those concerns as reasons why he should be given refuge. But some Russian commentators say those aren't the real barriers to giving Snowden up.

"It's quite clear that it's morally impossible for Russia to turn Snowden in to the United States because it would look like Russia is weak and can be easily manipulated or pressured by the United States," says Dmitri Babich, political analyst for Voice of Russia Radio. "On the other hand, Snowden is clearly disliked by Putin, and he is seen as a liability."

Read more: Public Opinion May Give Russia An Edge In Snowden Case : NPR

National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has not had his asylum status resolved and he intends to remain in Russia long-term, his lawyer has said. Previously, Snowden told local officials he planned to move on to South America as soon as possible.

Anatoly Kucherena, who was visiting Snowden at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on Wednesday, said he was staying in the transit zone "for now". According to the lawyer, migration officials had said that they are looking at his asylum request, but had not issued the expected confirmation certificate that would allow Snowden to leave the airport. The process of issuing it has been drawn out, he said.

"Unfortunately the current situation is a truly unique one for Russia, and we have to account for the bureaucracy [involved in the process], so his documents are still being looked over," Kucherena told the many journalists assembled at the airport.

Law enforcement and airport sources had earlier said Snowden had been issued documents confirming his asylum request was being considered, and state news agency Interfax reported that he had submitted them at the border control. Instead, the lawyer had only brought Snowden books and clothing, he said.

Snowden is seeking to remain in the country and "wants to find work in Russia, travel and somehow create a life for himself," Kucherena told the television station Rossiya 24. He said the whistleblower had already begun learning the Russian language.

Read more: Edward Snowden plans to stay in Russia, says lawyer | World news | guardian.co.uk

The former National Security Agency contractor has been seeking asylum, considering countries like Bolivia and Nicaragua as new homes. Yet traveling has become difficult for him since the U.S. revoked his passport and since he would need to avoid U.S. and U.S.-friendly airspace, according to CNN.

But Snowden can't stay in Russia's transit zone forever, and it's likely he'll be picking a final destination soon.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro offered to take him in and it appears that Snowden will probably take him up on that offer, according to CBS News.

Venezuela is a beautiful country in turmoil that has gone through some major changes in the past 14 years. If Snowden does end up choosing to go to the South American country, he should probably prepare. Here are a few things he can expect to find (or not):

 Read more: What Edward Snowden Can Expect To Find In Venezuela

Edward Snowden Quo Vadis?

Good question.? If they do it would be quite surprising - for regardless of what politicians and government .leaders in Europe are saying about the US PRISM Spy Project today, they, led by US lapdog Britain, still are the "NUMERO UNO  BROWN NOSERS" of the US.

Based on documents leaked by National Security Agency (NSA) whistle-blower Edward Snowden, the intelligence agency has targeted the European Union with its spying activities, bugging EU embassies in Washington, D.C., eaves-dropping on conversations held in the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels, the location of the EU Council of Ministers and the European Council, and hacking into the EU representation’s computer network.

Just imagine what would have happened if the EU or any other nation had planted eaves-dropping equipment in the US Oval Office. Probably world war III ?  

These revelations have obviously  "strained relations" between the EU and the U.S. as talks of the important Trans-Atlantic trade agreement get underway, but not enough to put them temporarily on hold.

Snowden has requested asylum from 11 European countries, including France, Germany, Switzerland, Poland and the Netherlands. Poland has already denied the request and the others will probably follow suit.

The only glimmer of hope in Europe for Edward Snowden is probably France, which has a long standing reputation of accepting  people chased by the CIA, FSB, MSS, and other secret services. One of the famous was Ruhollah Mostafavi Musavi Khomeini, also known in the West as Ayatollah Khomeini, who eventually returned to Iran after the US protégé Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavī, the last shah (king) of Iran was overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979.

"It just shows just how powerful the US global empire is", said one European parliamentarian. "Citizens and politicians of the EU should be worried,  because it clearly shows a government other than our own is calling the shots right here in Europe. Like it or not, we have become subservient to the US and this must not be allowed to continue".

EU-Digest ©

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has hailed NSA leaker Edward Snowden’s “courage” and offered to consider an asylum application.

Maduro, speaking in Haiti on Tuesday, said someone should “protect” Snowden, who is believed to be in a transit zone at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

The Obama administration insisted late Tuesday there was a “clear legal basis” for Russia to hand over the fugitive leaker.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed suggestions his country is helping Snowden as “ravings and rubbish.” Officials there say there is nothing they can do because Snowden has not formally crossed into Russian territory.

Read more: Chavez successor praises Snowden, offers to consider asylum - World News

Edward Snowden

Russia would consider granting asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

Snowden fled the United States after leaking information about the NSA's secret surveillance of phone records and information collected by Internet providers. After revealing his identity to the public, he said that he had sought refuge in Hong Kong, and was hoping "to seek asylum in a country with shared values."

Snowden has not made any requests for asylum yet, but Peskov told Russian newspaper Kommersant, "If such an appeal is given, it will be considered."

"We'll act according to facts," he said. The Guardian reported Tuesday that the statement prompted other Russian officials to declare their support for Snowden. As the newspaper noted, the country has a poor record for human rights and free speech, but has been known to support critics of the United States.

The revelation that Snowden fled to Hong Kong has ignited debate about whether it was a wise choice. Some experts argue that Hong Kong's government will likely hand him over to the United States, citing the treaty that guarantees extradition with the exception of outstanding circumstances. Snowden is believed to have checked out of the hotel where he was staying on Monday, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Note EU-Digest: maybe it would also benefit the EU to offer Mr. Snowden asylum and find out if the US, in addition to the privacy law protected information they are collecting on EU Citizens, are also collecting classified economic and industrial data from EU member states.

Read more: Russia Says It Would Consider Asylum For Edward Snowden

Read more: Belarus dissident who was granted asylum in Ecuador says he will be killed as country is poised to send home | Mail Online