Exclusive | Snowden, Greenwald and Poitras donate US$20,000 to asylum seekers who sheltered whistle-blower in Hong Kong
Lawyer who helped Edward Snowden says one asylum seeker faced questions from government-contracted social service agency about her role in the incident
Whistle-blower Edward Snowden, journalist Glenn Greenwald and filmmaker Laura Poitras have donated US$20,000 to the three groups of asylum seekers who sheltered the former US intelligence contractor in Hong Kong in 2013.
Hong Kong-based Canadian lawyer Robert Tibbo, who provided legal advice to Snowden while he was in the city, told the South China Morning Post that the money would be used to help the families because International Social Service Hong Kong Branch (ISS-HK) had failed to meet their basic needs.
ISS-HK has since 2006 been entrusted by the Social Welfare Department with providing assistance, including giving rental and utilities allowances, to asylum seekers in the city. The agency has been criticised over the past few years, with asylum seekers and advocacy groups calling for a revamp of the support system.
According to Tibbo, Snowden – a former contractor for the CIA turned whistle-blower who leaked classified documents showing the extent of electronic spying by the United States and other governments – provided a few thousand US dollars late last year and in the middle of this year to the families who helped him in the city. He made further donations which came through earlier this week, the lawyer said.