Swiss say would shield Snowden from 'political' extradition to U.S.

[unhappycamper]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/15/us-usa-security-snowden-switzerland-idUSKBN0HA1VX20140915



Protesters supporting Edward Snowden, a contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA), hold a photo of Snowden during a demonstration outside the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong June 13, 2013.

Swiss say would shield Snowden from 'political' extradition to U.S.
ZURICH Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:55pm EDT

(Reuters) - Former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden could be granted safe passage in Switzerland if he helped a potential criminal inquiry into U.S. spying there, the Swiss public prosecutor's office said on Monday.

He would probably not be extradited to the United States if Washington asked, but it was also unlikely that he would be granted political asylum, according to a document laying out Switzerland's legal options if Snowden were to visit.

The prosecutor's office, which provided the document to Reuters, stressed the issue was "purely hypothetical" because Snowden had not been invited to come from his current refuge in Russia. It had no further comment.

The document was leaked last week and prompted a lively debate in the Swiss media.