Speculation rife in Hong Kong over Edward Snowden's fate

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The US flag flutters in front of the US consulate in Hong Kong on June 10, 2013. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:25pm, 10 Jun 2013Updated: 10:55am, 15 Jun 2018

As Hong Kong authorities remain silent on the whereabouts and potential fate of US whistle-blower Edward Snowden, legal and political experts are weighing in on what could happen and the choices available to 29-year-old former intelligence contractor.

If Snowden wanted to stay in Hong Kong, his best chance would be to apply for refugee status, under the claim that he could be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CIDTP) or punishment if extradited back to the United States, said Patricia Ho, a solicitor with local human rights law firm Daly and Associates

"With the reports about the treatment of Bradley Manning, there's an arguable case for him facing CIDTP," said Ho in a phone interview with the South China Morning Post on Monday.

Manning, whose trial started last week, has been held in solitary confinement, made to strip naked at night, and checked every five minutes, causing the UN special rapporteur on torture Juan Mendez to formally accuse the US government in 2012 of violating his human rights.

"The recent judgment in the Court of Final Appeals with Ubamaka, clearly ruled that anyone facing CIDTP cannot be removed from Hong Kong," said Ho.

Hong Kong does not grant asylum itself, but allows those seeking it to stay indefinitely until they are able to find a country willing to host them.