Americans Thank Latin American Countries for Offering Asylum to Whistleblower Edward Snowden, Say to Justice Department: Stop Illegal NSA Spying and Hands Off Edward Snowden


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 10, 2013


Contact: Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK co-founder, 415-235-6517, medea@codepink.org

Alli McCracken, CODEPINK Organizer, 860-575-5692, Alli@codepink.org


Americans Thank Latin American Countries for Offering Asylum to Whistleblower Edward Snowden, Say to Justice Department: Stop Illegal NSA Spying and Hands Off Edward Snowden


When: Thursday, July 11, 9am-1pm

Where: 9 am Bolivian Embassy, 3014 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC

10 am Nicaraguan Embassy, 1627 New Hampshire Ave NW (corner 18th)

11 am Venezuelan Embassy, 1099 30th St NW

12 noon Justice Department, 950 Pennsylvania Ave NW (between 9th and 10th)


Washington, DC -- On July 11th from 9am-1pm, CODEPINK will join a coalition of civil rights/libertarian groups which are coming together to thank to the Latin American countries that have offered asylum to Edward Snowden. Afterwards, the coalition will visit the Justice Department to demand it stop the NSA from its illegal surveillance of Americans and foreigners. They will also protest the Justice Department's relentless campaign to hunt down and block whistleblower Edward Snowden's attempts to seek asylum, including the revocation of his passport and the storm-arming of foreign governments to prevent them from granting asylum.


"We are honoring the three Latin American countries for refusing to be strongarmed by the United States, and also for their commitment to protecting the universal right of whistleblowers like Edward Snowden to seek asylum,” said Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK. “We'll be bringing them thank-you cards signed by grateful Americans to show our support and appreciation.”

The coalition believes that Edward Snowden has disclosed issues of enormous public interest in the US and around the world. Instead of addressing these issues, the US government is more intent on going after Snowden. “The US attempts to pressure governments to block Snowden's attempts to seek asylum are deplorable,” said Michael Bochenek, Director of Law and Policy at Amnesty International. “It is his unassailable right, enshrined in international law, to claim asylum and this should not be impeded.”

For more information, contact Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK, at medea@codepink.org, 415-235-6517.


This event is sponsored by CODEPINK, Institute for Policy Studies, Defending Dissent Foundation, Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition, Restore the 4th DC, School of the Americas Watch.