BEIJING -- The case of Edward Snowden, who is accused of criminal theft of government property and other charges in the U.S., has galvanized civic groups in Hong Kong where the self-proclaimed leaker has been holed up for weeks. Many in Hong Kong regard the decision of whether to extradite Snowden as a test of the city’s autonomy vis-à-vis Beijing. The territory of 7 million residents has its own legal system apart from the mainland’s. Hong Kong Police Commissioner Andy Tsang said Saturday during a brief news conference that the matter would be handled according to law. He 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. Snowden’s revelations that U.S. hacking activities had targeted facilities in the territory have upset many in Hong Kong, where a public opinion poll last weekend found that half of respondents opposed his extradition.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 19:00:23 +0000
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