»Die erzwungene Landung von Evo Morales war ein klarer Bruch diplomatischer Prinzipien«

The refusal of entry into their airspace by certain European states for the Bolivian presidential jet on the basis of suspicions that Edward Snowden was on board was an astonishing manoeuvre that flies in the face of the EU’s stated commitment to democracy, human rights and international law.  

The potential damage that this action does to both the reputation of the European Union and respect for international law within and beyond its borders cannot be overstated. The forcing down and searching the Bolivian President Evo Morales’ jet was a clear breach of fundamental principles of diplomatic immunity and inviolability. Such principles are the bedrock of good international relations and customary international law.  

The blocking of routes to asylum coupled with their failed attempt to apprehend Mr. Snowden suggests that some EU states are prepared to disregard the European Conventions on Human Rights and expeditiously transfer him to the USA to face the same fate as Bradley Manning and other whistleblowers – that is solitary confinement, the prospect of an unfair trial and a charge that carries the death penalty.  

States such as Spain and Portugal were among the many EU governments that permitted hundreds of CIA “extraordinary rendition” flights through their airspace between 2001 and 2006, facilitating repeated acts of torture, enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention by the USA. Their failure to prosecute those responsible and compensate the victims of rendition is now compounded by the EU’s apparent readiness to engage in the practice once more.  

The EU should investigate the forcing down and searching of the Bolivian President’s jet and act swiftly to safeguard the fundamental rights of its people by putting an end to the unwarranted mass surveillance revealed by Edward Snowden.  

The ruthless persecution of whistleblowers is a grave threat to investigative journalism. It will undermine openness and transparency and further erode public trust in government.  The issues now at stake – the protection of whistleblowers, the regulation of surveillance powers and the ability of journalists’ to protect the confidentiality of their sources – are at the very heart of what it means to live in a democracy.  

Many European countries have a proud history of providing refuge to people facing prosecutions of a political nature. If they are to avoid the same international reputation for injustice that increasingly plagues their Transatlantic partner they should cease and desist in their efforts to apprehend Mr. Snowden, recognise his service to European democracy and guarantee him safe haven or passage.  

This statement has been authored by the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, The Transnational Institute and the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights. It is supported by the following organisations:  

Acção Acadêmica para o Desenvolvimento das Comunidades Rurais (Mozambique), Access to Information Programme (Bulgaria), Action from Ireland, Africando (Spain), Alianza Social Continental - Hemispheric Social, Alliance Asociacon de Cubanos Residentes en Portugal, Asociación Americana de Juristas, ATTAC Argentina, ATTAC Austria, ATTAC Finland, ATTAC Hellas, ATTAC Mallorca, Arab Lawyers Association (UK), AdvokatPRO (Barrister bureau, Russia), Alliance for Global Justice, Alternative Intervention of Athens Lawyers, Bay Area Latin America Solidarity Coalition, Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit (Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence), Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (UK), Ceartas, Irish Lawyers for Human Rights, Center for Research and Documentation Chile-Latin America (Germany), El Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM), Comité du Forum Social Lémanique, Genève, Confederación Intersindical Galega, Convergencia de Movimientos de los Pueblos de las Américas, Corporate Europe Observatory Ecologistas en Acción (Spain), Eskubideak (Basque lawyers association), Europe solidaire sans frontiers France, European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, FIAN International, Focus on the Global South, German Association of Democratic Lawyers (VDJ), Global Social Justice, Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, Greek Helsinki Monitor, Grupo 'Solidair met Guatemala' de Bélgica, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Humanist Association of Hong Kong, Indian Association of Lawyers

Institute for Policy Studies, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms, (IALANA), Germany, Italian Association of Democratic Lawyers, Komitee für Grundrechte und Demokratie (Germany), Latinamerikagrupperna (Sweden), Latin America Solidarity Centre, Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas, National Lawyers Guild, Nicaragua Center for community Action, Observatório para a defensa dos direitos e liberdades (EsCULcA), Otros Mundos AC/Amigos de la Tierra (México), Partito della Rifondazione Comunista – Sinistra Europea, People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (South Korea), La Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo (PIDHDD), Red Europea de Comités Oscar Romero, La Red Nacional Genero y Economia (Mexico), Soldepaz Pachakuti, Transnational Institute, Transnational Migrant Platform - Europe, Unión Universal Desarrollo Solidario, VD AMOK (Netherlands)