On Tuesday July 2nd, India officially rejected Edward J. Snowden's request for political asylum. While currently residing in Moscow, Russia, Snowden awaited a response from the Indian embassy. However, his plea was ultimately denied.
Succeeding his unauthorized leakage of government information, Snowden had applied for political asylum in 19 countries, including Russia, Brazil, and India. Brazil also denied him asylum, but majority of the other countries are pending, due to several laws and restrictions regarding the current state of the applicant in relation to the specific country.
Snowden was initially a technical contractor for the National Security Agency, as well as the Central Intelligence Agency. As a result of collaborating with political journalist, Glenn Greenwald, and the daily newspaper, The Guardian, Snowden disclosed secret information regarding several US surveillance programs, such as PRISM and Tempora.
In the midst of releasing the articles, Snowden left for Hong Kong, China. Ensuing his departure from the US, Snowden's passport was revoked, leaving him idle in Russia where he awaits further news.
His leaking of government information resulted in federal prosecutors charging Snowden with several criminal charges, including the theft of government property, the unauthorized communication of national defense information, and espionage.
On the contrary, there are a variety of individuals, political groups, and countries that will argue in favor of Snowden. Theoretically, India should too.
In the past, India has offered their country as a refuge for political and social icons, like the Dalai Lama. They have also granted asylum to refugees from nearby countries like Afghanistan and Iran. But why have they chosen to deny Snowden asylum?
He appears to be advocating for a more open world; one where the government can ensure safety without compromising the privacy of the common man, and where the public is more aware on government action.
Perhaps India does not want to jeopardize their relations with the US through this conflict by permitting Snowden 's request. There are also several other significant reasons, including India's current privacy and security struggle, as to why they have proceeded as such.
In light of these events, the ethics of modern day surveillance is definitely in question, and will continue to pose as a pressing issue for leaders worldwide. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to observe the how India will deal with cases of political asylum, as well as the future of Snowden's case.
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