French Minister says ‘Not the Time’ to Grant Snowden Asylum
The French presidential palace promptly issued a statement stressing that Belloubet had spoken in a “private capacity”
A demonstrator in Paris holds placards calling for Edward Snowden to be granted asylum. Photo Credit : AFP | file photo
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday that he saw no reason to change France’s official stance on former NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s asylum request.
Le Drian told CNews television that when Snowden first asked for French asylum in 2013, the French government "considered it was not the time”. He added: “I don't see what has changed."
Snowden has been living in Russia to escape US prosecution after leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance programs. Asking France again for asylum this week, he argued that "protecting whistleblowers is not a hostile act."
Snowden’s comments came a day after another member of the French government, Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet, said that she would offer him asylum if it was up to her. The French presidential palace promptly issued a statement stressing that Belloubet had spoken in a “private capacity”.
The former NSA contractor has also sought asylum in several other countries. His memoir was released in about 20 countries this week, including France.
-
Indigenous people march in Brazil to demand land demarcation
2024-04-24 -
Talks on global plastic treaty begin in Canada
2024-04-24 -
Colombian court recognizes environmental refugees
2024-04-24 -
Asia hit hardest by climate and weather disasters last year, says UN
2024-04-23 -
Denmark launches its biggest offshore wind farm tender
2024-04-22 -
Nobel laureate urges Iranians to protest 'war against women'
2024-04-22 -
'Human-induced' climate change behind deadly Sahel heatwave: study
2024-04-21 -
Moldovan youth is more than ready to join the EU
2024-04-18 -
UN says solutions exist to rapidly ease debt burden of poor nations
2024-04-18 -
Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
2024-04-18