BEIJING — With U.S. prosecutors having filed criminal charges against Edward Snowden, attention turned Saturday to Hong Kong, whose authorities now must decide how to proceed with the case of the self-proclaimed National Security Agency leaker believed to be holed up in the Chinese territory.
At a brief news conference Saturday, Hong Kong Police Commissioner Andy Tsang said only that the matter would be handled according to law, and refused to answer a question about whether Snowden was in a police “safe house.” After initially spending time in a Hong Kong hotel, Snowden reportedly moved to a private residence in the territory of 7 million, which has its own legal system apart from that of mainland China.
In Washington, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden confirmed Saturday that the U.S. “has contacted authorities in Hong Kong to seek the extradition of Mr. Snowden.” And a senior administration official said that “if Hong Kong doesn’t act soon, it will complicate our bilateral relations and raise questions about Hong Kong’s commitment to the rule of law.”
Hong Kong and the United States have a treaty that allows for extraditions; however, there are several scenarios under which Snowden might avoid being returned to the United States. The treaty carries an exception for political offenses; some experts say espionage cases could certainly be regarded as political. Snowden could also file an asylum claim.
Snowden’s case has galvanized a variety of Hong Kong civic groups, who regard the case as a test of the city’s autonomy vis-a-vis Beijing and are upset by his revelations that U.S. hacking activities targeted facilities in the territory. A public opinion poll last weekend found that half of respondents were against his extradition.
Leaders of the League of Social Democrats, a left-leaning political party, planned to march Sunday to the offices of the territory’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, to urge him not to extradite Snowden.