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German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

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Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#31
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They would need guaranteed non-extradition and possibly a lot of protection so they don't get abducted by the US, but that sort of legislation would never sail under the current German government.

It's only possible to extradite people if they did something that's a crime in both countries.

[deleted]

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't follow. Why would an EU country punish a US citizen for reporting espionage/sabotage directed against the EU country? Or do you mean something else?

They would need guaranteed non-extradition and possibly a lot of protection so they don't get abducted by the US, but that sort of legislation would never sail under the current German government.

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Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#34
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe my wording is bad; the EU should offer protection to US citizens who expose crimes committed by the US government in the EU. And preferably committed elsewhere in the world, since it's in the world's best interest to know.

So Snowden could seek asylum in the EU, since he exposed espionage that was targeting the EU (and others)? I have to say that I've lost yet another bit of respect for the German government (and those that followed) when they did not offer asylum to Snowden.

What did he expose exactly? As far as I know - according to the US government - foreigners have no rights whatsoever so they could spy on everyone else completely legally. For example - they could install spyware/keylogger on my computer completely legally, because the 4th amendment doesn't apply to non-Americans.

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#35
Honestly sort of depressing how everything follows US policy: NDAA contained whistleblower-protection language--and we have to be proud of it. Couldn't other "western liberal democracies" just initiate their own policy initiatives--sounds like I'm denigrating US--I'm not--but couldn't other countries initiate their own first, why have to wait and play second fiddle? Always like this. US passes some law, then you see, like the dominoes fall elsewhere--depressing as it gives the impression they were too scared to pass before US...ugh. Progress controlled from one source is not diverse enough to succeed. We need more :)

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#37
post #34
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So Snowden could seek asylum in the EU, since he exposed espionage that was targeting the EU (and others)? I have to say that I've lost yet another bit of respect for the German government (and those that followed) when they did not offer asylum to Snowden.

What did he expose exactly? As far as I know - according to the US government - foreigners have no rights whatsoever so they could spy on everyone else completely legally. For example - they could install spyware/keylogger on my computer completely legally, because the 4th amendment doesn't apply to non-Americans.

That the U.S. selfishly sees non-Americans as unprotected game is nothing that the EU has to respect.

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#38
post #37
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What did he expose exactly? As far as I know - according to the US government - foreigners have no rights whatsoever so they could spy on everyone else completely legally. For example - they could install spyware/keylogger on my computer completely legally, because the 4th amendment doesn't apply to non-Americans.

That the U.S. selfishly sees non-Americans as unprotected game is nothing that the EU has to respect.

That's how international espionage works. Everyone is spying on everyone else. Do you think that there aren't any European spies in the USA?

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#39

Honestly sort of depressing how everything follows US policy: NDAA contained whistleblower-protection language--and we have to be proud of it. Couldn't other "western liberal democracies" just initiate their own policy initiatives--sounds like I'm denigrating US--I'm not--but couldn't other countries initiate their own first, why have to wait and play second fiddle? Always like this. US passes some law, then you see,…

Can you provide more examples of the EU following US?

I think there are plenty of examples of the opposite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_effect

Re: German Bundestag Passes Whistleblower Protection Act

#40
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They would need guaranteed non-extradition and possibly a lot of protection so they don't get abducted by the US, but that sort of legislation would never sail under the current German government.

It's only possible to extradite people if they did something that's a crime in both countries.

Treason is a crime in Germany, too, and whether the result is politically opportune for Germany couldn't officially play a role in front of a Oberlandesgericht court when ruling on an extradition request by the US. Disclosure of spy activities certainly would be a crime if committed in Germany against Germany, so extradition for such a whistleblower would have to be stopped at the political level, which is possible, but that's not something I would want to depend on. The US could exert a lot of very painful pressure on a German government, and as the Snowden affair shows, broad public support is far from given. Might be easier to weather the scandal from giving in than the consequences of sticking to principles.
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