Edward Snowden: We need an international treaty on privacy rights
Fugitive former U.S. spy contractor spoke via video conference from Russia
Speaking via video conference from Russia, which granted him asylum in 2013 after he leaked details of mass U.S. surveillance programmes, Snowden said mass spying was a global problem that needs a global response.
“We have to have a discussion, we have to come forward with proposals to go ‘how do we assert what our rights are, traditionally and digitally and to ensure that we can not just enjoy them, but we can protect them,” Snowden said.
On the eve of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, Snowden, campaign group Avaaz, journalist Glenn Greenwald - who obtained Snowden’s leaked documents - and his partner David Miranda launched the campaign for what they dubbed the Snowden Treaty.
We see that in many countries around the world governments are aggressively pressing for more power, more authority, more surveillance rather than less
“We see that in many countries around the world governments are aggressively pressing for more power, more authority, more surveillance rather than less,” said Snowden, citing Australia, Canada, Britain and France.