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Showing Original Post only (View all)Wikileak's Sarah Harrison, Snowden asylum assistant now in exile [View all]
in Berlin.
Her statement upon her safe arrival:
http://wikileaks.org/Statement-by-Sarah-Harrison-on.html
As a journalist I have spent the last four months with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and arrived in Germany over the weekend. I worked in Hong Kong as part of the WikiLeaks team that brokered a number of asylum offers for Snowden and negotiated his safe exit from Hong Kong to take up his legal right to seek asylum. I was travelling with him on our way to Latin America when the United States revoked his passport, stranding him in Russia. For the next 39 days I remained with him in the transit zone of Moscows Sheremetyevo airport, where I assisted in his legal application to 21 countries for asylum, including Germany, successfully securing his asylum in Russia despite substantial pressure by the United States. I then remained with him until our team was confident that he had established himself and was free from the interference of any government.
Whilst Edward Snowden is safe and protected until his asylum visa is due to be renewed in nine months time, there is still much work to be done. The battle Snowden joined against state surveillance and for government transparency is one that WikiLeaks and many others have been fighting, and will continue to fight.
WikiLeaks battles are many: we fight against unaccountable power and government secrecy, publishing analysis and documents for all affected and to forever provide the public with the history that is theirs. For this, we are fighting legal cases in many jurisdictions and face an unprecedented Grand Jury investigation in the United States. WikiLeaks continues to fight for the protection of sources. We have won the battle for Snowdens immediate future, but the broader war continues.
Already, in the few days I have spent in Germany, it is heartening to see the people joining together and calling for their government to do what must be done to investigate NSA spying revelations, and to offer Edward Snowden asylum. The United States should no longer be able to continue spying on every person around the globe, or persecuting those that speak the truth.
Snowden is currently safe in Russia, but there are whistleblowers and sources to whom this does not apply. Chelsea Manning has been subject to abusive treatment by the United States government and is currently serving a 35-year sentence for exposing the true nature of war. Jeremy Hammond is facing a decade in a New York jail for allegedly providing journalists with documents that exposed corporate surveillance. I hope I have shown a counter example: with the right assistance whistleblowers can speak the truth and keep their liberty.
Aggressive tactics are being used against journalists, publishers and experts who work so courageously to bring truth to the world. Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Jacob Appelbaum are all in effective exile. Barrett Brown is indicted for reporting on unethical surveillance practices. My editor Julian Assange has asylum over US threats, but the United Kingdom refuses to allow him to fully exercise this right, violating the law. The UK government also detained David Miranda under the UK Terrorism Act for collaborating with Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald.
The UK Terrorism Act defines terrorism as the action or threat of action "designed to influence" any government "for the purpose of promoting a political or ideological cause". It prescribes actions that interfere with the functioning of an "electronic system" (i.e. the NSAs bulk spying program) or which the government alleges create a "risk" to a section of the public. It should be fanciful to suggest that national security journalism which has the purpose of producing honest government or enforcing basic privacy rights should be called "terrorism", but that is how the UK is choosing to interpret this law. Almost every story published on the GCHQ and NSA bulk spying programs falls under the UK governments interpretation of the word "terrorism". In response, our lawyers have advised me that it is not safe to return home.
The job of the press is to speak truth to power. And yet for doing our job we are persecuted. I say that these aggressive and illegal tactics to silence us inventing arbitrary legal interpretations, over-zealous charges and disproportionate sentences must not be permitted to succeed. I stand in solidarity with all those intimidated and persecuted for bringing the truth to the public.
In these times of secrecy and abuse of power there is only one solution transparency. If our governments are so compromised that they will not tell us the truth, then we must step forward to grasp it. Provided with the unequivocal proof of primary source documents people can fight back. If our governments will not give this information to us, then we must take it for ourselves.
When whistleblowers come forward we need to fight for them, so others will be encouraged. When they are gagged, we must be their voice. When they are hunted, we must be their shield. When they are locked away, we must free them. Giving us the truth is not a crime. This is our data, our information, our history. We must fight to own it.
Courage is contagious.
Sarah Harrison, Wednesday 6 November 2013, Berlin
Whilst Edward Snowden is safe and protected until his asylum visa is due to be renewed in nine months time, there is still much work to be done. The battle Snowden joined against state surveillance and for government transparency is one that WikiLeaks and many others have been fighting, and will continue to fight.
WikiLeaks battles are many: we fight against unaccountable power and government secrecy, publishing analysis and documents for all affected and to forever provide the public with the history that is theirs. For this, we are fighting legal cases in many jurisdictions and face an unprecedented Grand Jury investigation in the United States. WikiLeaks continues to fight for the protection of sources. We have won the battle for Snowdens immediate future, but the broader war continues.
Already, in the few days I have spent in Germany, it is heartening to see the people joining together and calling for their government to do what must be done to investigate NSA spying revelations, and to offer Edward Snowden asylum. The United States should no longer be able to continue spying on every person around the globe, or persecuting those that speak the truth.
Snowden is currently safe in Russia, but there are whistleblowers and sources to whom this does not apply. Chelsea Manning has been subject to abusive treatment by the United States government and is currently serving a 35-year sentence for exposing the true nature of war. Jeremy Hammond is facing a decade in a New York jail for allegedly providing journalists with documents that exposed corporate surveillance. I hope I have shown a counter example: with the right assistance whistleblowers can speak the truth and keep their liberty.
Aggressive tactics are being used against journalists, publishers and experts who work so courageously to bring truth to the world. Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Jacob Appelbaum are all in effective exile. Barrett Brown is indicted for reporting on unethical surveillance practices. My editor Julian Assange has asylum over US threats, but the United Kingdom refuses to allow him to fully exercise this right, violating the law. The UK government also detained David Miranda under the UK Terrorism Act for collaborating with Laura Poitras and Glenn Greenwald.
The UK Terrorism Act defines terrorism as the action or threat of action "designed to influence" any government "for the purpose of promoting a political or ideological cause". It prescribes actions that interfere with the functioning of an "electronic system" (i.e. the NSAs bulk spying program) or which the government alleges create a "risk" to a section of the public. It should be fanciful to suggest that national security journalism which has the purpose of producing honest government or enforcing basic privacy rights should be called "terrorism", but that is how the UK is choosing to interpret this law. Almost every story published on the GCHQ and NSA bulk spying programs falls under the UK governments interpretation of the word "terrorism". In response, our lawyers have advised me that it is not safe to return home.
The job of the press is to speak truth to power. And yet for doing our job we are persecuted. I say that these aggressive and illegal tactics to silence us inventing arbitrary legal interpretations, over-zealous charges and disproportionate sentences must not be permitted to succeed. I stand in solidarity with all those intimidated and persecuted for bringing the truth to the public.
In these times of secrecy and abuse of power there is only one solution transparency. If our governments are so compromised that they will not tell us the truth, then we must step forward to grasp it. Provided with the unequivocal proof of primary source documents people can fight back. If our governments will not give this information to us, then we must take it for ourselves.
When whistleblowers come forward we need to fight for them, so others will be encouraged. When they are gagged, we must be their voice. When they are hunted, we must be their shield. When they are locked away, we must free them. Giving us the truth is not a crime. This is our data, our information, our history. We must fight to own it.
Courage is contagious.
Sarah Harrison, Wednesday 6 November 2013, Berlin
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Wikileak's Sarah Harrison, Snowden asylum assistant now in exile [View all]
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
OP
You haven't followed Wikileaks work, have you? No one has been spared from Whistle Blowers
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#8
Crumbs compared to the scale of it there. Also, why aren't Greenwald, Snowden and Assange
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#9
BS, they publish what they get from Whistle Blowers, they can't manufacture what they
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#21
Grantcart did the research and called BS on your links downthread. They arent interested in
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#72
This hearsay you are pushing doesn't amount to anything. I noticed you provide no links
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#74
Their agenda has always been clear. Did you think they were hiding it? Again demonstrating
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#78
Again, your contentions mean nothing. Provide links to back you up or it means nothing. nt
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#88
Clearly you are unable to back up your claims. That was obvious to me from the
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#94
On DU, it is widely accepted that one does not need to prove a negative. You need to prove your
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#104
You made the claim that Wikileaks is not 'covering all the corruption in Russia'. I corrected
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#127
You surely are aware that Wikileaks was accused of being PRO US because they
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#129
The US has prevented Wikileaks from releasing anything from Russia or anywhere
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#81
You don't even know how ridiculous that sounds. Wikileaks is an international organization
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#89
Their agenda is clear and has never been hidden. What a ridiculous thing to say.
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#97
If releasing Whistle Blower material is 'attacking' a country, then they have 'attacked'
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#123
Not my interest. I don't have to live up to someone else's failed tag line.
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#100
Have you read any of the Wikileaks cables? Apparently not. Russia wasn't happy
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#75
I am missing nothing. I have been aware of and followed Wikileaks and other New Media
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#83
Since Tiananmen Square occurred 17 years before Wikileaks was founded, it's a bit of a stretch
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#85
Sadly, my experience conversing with you frequently suggests you simply invent your claims,
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#110
Anyone who starts right out with a personal insult, doesn't get much credibility from
sabrina 1
Nov 2013
#156
Once again, nary a link from you to support the claims you make with apparent certainty
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#158
Putin gets brownie points with his political base by giving a neener-neener to the U.S.
backscatter712
Nov 2013
#20
Also from Wikipedia: Exile can also be a self-imposed departure from one's homeland.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#23
She is from England. Her lawyer has advised her not to return at this time.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#11
What's going on in England is that Miranda (who was released after 9 hours
geek tragedy
Nov 2013
#25
The Security Service advised the police to detain Miranda based on their assessment that he may have
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#26
Oxford dictionary says that "exile" is an archaic definition of expatriot.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#57
Ah. Your #22 didn't mention Sarah directly, and I had to do my best to decipher the pronoun
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#44
Surprise surprise.... Sarah Harrison and I agree with her interpretation of the facts...
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#41
Really. Edward will not be arrested or prosecuted? Julian assanges is free to travel to the
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#46
What is it with people who glean only the most advantagous part of a definition and think we are too
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#58
Well, Snowden has said since June he's a victim of persecution, but the facts suggest otherwise
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#66
Statelessness is governed by the 1961 convention, which nowhere regards a valid passport
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#122
He defined his statelessness using international standards. Which I provided to you.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#125
You merely provided a link to a Wikipedia article, which traces back to a record
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#140
Yes dear, I know the difference. He is being persecuted with the prospect of prosecution.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#52
What the fuck are you going on about? I understand the difference between the two and I used them
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#54
Clearly, I do. Snowden is being persecuted for escaping probable prosecution.
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#106
Clearly, you don't. If that fit, any criminal fleeing prosecution could claim it. nt
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#112
Meh. Periods are irritating little buggers. One ought to leave them out unless they're necessary
struggle4progress
Nov 2013
#143
HUGE K&R Powerful and important statement that needs to be seen by everyone.
woo me with science
Nov 2013
#79
To fly to a foreign country in order to reside there to escape persecution
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#92
There is no such thing as an extradition treaty for the purpose of allowing a
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#120
Keep beating that horse. Others who work with wikileaks and Snowden have taken
Luminous Animal
Nov 2013
#131
Im sure they will support her especially after the revelations the NSA taps Merkel's phone
davidn3600
Nov 2013
#132