Snowden to Eurofora(1): who Helps Whistle-Blowers is not Ennemy, but Friend of the Country concerned

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- Choosing to Reply to the First of 2 "Eurofora"s Questions (See also : ...), at a CoE's Video-Conference, about Whistle-Blowers' Freedom, World Famous pro-Human Rights/Democracy Dissident Edward Snowden, stressed that who Helps a Whistle-Blower, instead of Harassing him/her, is, in fact, "Not an Enemy, But a Friend" of the Country concerned.

- In fact, by Leaving Abroad, "I Wanted to Ask the whole World : Where someone like me should Go ? Where am I Safe to Speak ?", he explained in his Reply to "Eurofora"s relevant Question (See Infra).

- In that rare event, organized Today by the New CoE's Rapporteur on WhistleBlowers, vice-President of the French National Assembly, MEP Sylvain Waserman from Strasbourg, (Comp. also Waserman's relevant Statements to "EF", Yesterday, at : ...., etc), Snowden chose to adress mainly the 1st of 2 Questions that "Eurofora" had raised:

Our 1st Question concerned, particularly, "WistleBlowers' Ability to continue to Speak on Fundamental Issues" (Individually and/or Collectively), and how to address, through a Socio-Political Struggle, the Fact that, in general, most WhistleBlowers are Threatened to become ..."Carbonized", by Harassment, Pressure and Attacks, shortly after they "come out" in Public at the Medias, Paying personaly a too Heavy price, with Hard Sacrifices for the sake of the General Interest Issue that they revealed,

as a specialized and experienced NGO Representative had Earlier denounced, (preferring the Protective Secrecy of Anonymous Press "Sources", as far as she was concerned).

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- Snowden Replied that he Found "in there, an Interesting Question", "I think, about the WhistleBlowers' Ability to Speak", (choosing to Start Replying First by "Eurofora"s initial Query, among 3 Differend Participants in a row, who raised Various Issues).

- "Interesting Question : How to Protect them ? What can we do ?", he Wondered.

- "We certainly Can't, in the Current context (since 2013), in the USA, be able to Speak Freely to (Press) Reporters, (not) even about the most Serious Crimes,  without being driven into either Prison, or Exile. And I think, that's a Tragic thing", he Denounced.

- "I would like to say <<that's not the case in Europe>>. But, unfortunately, I have very Little Evidence, to believe it's Different. Especially (judging by) the National Security Context", he bitterly noted.

- "Quite famously, People Forget that I didn't choose to be in Russia", he reminded.

-  In fact, "I was on route from Hong Kong to Latin America, when the Secretary of State, then John Kerry, cancelled my Passport !"

- This was done "as soon as they heard that I left, which Trapped me in Russia".

 - "Now, I could have simply appealed to Russia for Asylum Directly, but I did Not".

- Simply "Because I Wanted to Ask the whole World !", he significantly stressed, (concerning also the Global aspect of Internet Mass Surveillance that he Denounced).

 - Indeed: -"Where can someone like me, go ?", Snowden wondered.

- "Where am I Safe to Speak ?"

- "We Revealed something like the Uniform Violation of the Rights of Every Man, Woman or Child, whose Communications pass through the Networks of the USA and its Allies", he reminded, as far as it concerns what is at stake.

- So, "I Applied to over +20 Differend Countries, for Protection, including France and Germany".

- "And, unfortunately, in Every case, they found a reason Not to accept the query", he denounced :  

- "In Many cases, because of <<US Pressure>>, they said : <<Oh, you know, we won't accept at all !>>. In other cases, it was : <<Oh, you have to Get to our Country First>>, which, of course, they knew it wasn't possible, because my Passport had been Cancelled", Snowden described bitterly.

 - "Even though they could, of course, have offered a Travel Document, (in order) to travel there, and, then, apply for Asylum, they were Not willing to do so".

- "Now, I think we all Undestand the Political Dynamics that Lead to that Common Decision : What Country wants to ask for a Problem ?", he realistically noted.

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 - "But, sometimes, if we don't take these problems, if we don't Willingly Accept these problems", (then),

=> "what we are allowing to happen, is that the Meaning of our Rights, the Protection afforded by our Commitment to the Ideal of Human Rights, is beginning to Shrink !", Snowden Warned.

- "I think we all know, that, if I had (f.ex.) Belarussian, or Chinese, or North Korean Citizenship, and I had gone to the USA, (then) France and Germany would have Admitted me, they would have thrown me a Parade !", he joked critically..

- "Now, I understand that, and I am Not Angry about what happened. What happens to me is a very little problem of importance", he  said modestly.

>> - "But the (Wider) Dynamic, I think, Matters !

 - "I don't ask Europe, any more to let me in. Although I still, very much, look Forward to the Day that I can Freely Travel to Europe, once again", Snowden acknowledged.

=> -"But, I do, very Strongly, Ask Europe, to Make Sure they are Well Prepared for the Next Case, like mine !", he urged.

 - "Because Admitting someone into your Country, and Protecting someone in your Country, who is Trying to Serve the Public Good",

"Even if their Government - which might be a very Close Ally - Objects to it, if it makes them UnConfortable, it creates very Difficult Circumstances for them",

=> Nevertheless, "Admitting and Protecting a Whistle-Blower is Not a Hostile act. Not the act of an Ennemy"

>>> On the Contrary, "It's an Act of a Friend !", Edward Snowden Concluded.

* Since, then, in fact, "You are Upholding a Grieved Country, (f.ex.) USA's Commitment to Protect Human Rights",

"in a Situation where it's very Difficult for them, to do so (by) themselves. Because They are acting Emotionally, they are acting Irrationaly, they are Reacting Angry", he Explained, Realistically but Profoundly.

 - "Because We are All Humans, Governments are Comprised of Humans. We are All Embarassed. We may All make Bad Decisions in a Moment"...

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 - "But, the Attorney General of the USA, who Charged me, with Crimes, ... by the time that he left the White House, said : - "I think that what Mr. Snowden did, was a Public Service. It was a Public Service !".

He was referring to former US Attorney General Eric Holder, who, despite persisting to criticize Snowden's revelations, nevertheless, acknowledged, since 2016, that he had offered a "Public Service" to the Country, by opening a much needed "Debate", which led to adequate "Reforms".

- "Now, we don't know how this Story is going to end, ... And, Honestly, it doesn't matter" so much, the most Famous WhistleBlower of the World, added modestly.

 - "But, if we don't Correct the (US) President, for the Next President. And we don't correct the President, for the Next Person After that, and the Next Person After that", ...

=> Then, "we shall find ourselves withOut WhistleBlowers, when we Need them the most  !".

 - "Because Noone is going to be willing to Sacrifice themselves, for a Public that doesN't, any longer, represent the Ideals that such an individual is Trying to Protect", he Warned.

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+ Concluding that exceptional CoE's Video-Debate, the new Rapporteur of the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, Strasbourg's Centrist MEP Sylvain Waserman, expessed his Wish to "Invite" Snowden here, in the foreseable Future, this time "in Safety".

Such a move might be naturally made by Waserman, (who is also vice-President of France's National Assembly), most probably during the forcthcoming French Presidency of the CoE, i.e. between May and November 2019, when he intends to present his Report for Public Debate and Final Vote for Adoption by CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, as he told "Eurofora", (See : ...).

++ It's Interesting to note, also, in this regard, the fact that vice-President Waserman, almost at the same time, would like to give "an International Framework" to his Future Report, (according also to a Recent EU - CoE cooperation's Trend to use, more and more, Strasbourg's PanEuropean Organisation, and its Old and New, various Legal Conventions, often "Open for Signature and Ratification" also to 3rd Countries, from all over the World, particularly in some Key Areas, such as, f.ex., Protection of Private/Personal Data, Fight against Cyber-Crime, Constitutional Law and Human Rights, BioEthics, Children's protection and Struggle against Human Trafficking, etc), as he told "Eurofora" earlier Today.

+++ In this Context, CoE's Rapporteur also told "Eurofora" that he would like to Meet, inter alia, with some Key Officials from the USA, etc.

(../..)

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