HONG KONG – Hong Kong legislators say the Chinese government should make the final decision on whether former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden should be extradited to the United States now that the Justice Department has charged him with espionage and theft of government property.
Snowden, believed to be holed up in Hong Kong, has admitted providing information to the news media about highly classified NSA surveillance programs.
It is not known if the U.S. government has made a formal extradition request, and Hong Kong had no immediate reaction to the charges.
Under Hong Kong’s mini constitution, Beijing can intervene in matters involving defence and diplomatic affairs.
Outspoken legislator Leung Kwok-hung said Beijing should instruct Hong Kong to protect Snowden from extradition before his case gets dragged through the court system.
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