Civil Liberties

Snowden Will Get No Special Consideration For Asylum, Says Icelandic Minister

Which is why he's stuck looking for refuge in authoritarian shitholes

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Bjarni Benediktsson, minister of finance, said that the cases of Bobby Fischer and Edward Snowden are not comparable and that there is no reason to give him a special treatment if he applies for an asylum in Iceland. Bobby Fischer received an Icelandic citizenship in 2005.

The minister is currently in Norway where the media company NTB talked to him about Snowden. During the interview Bjarni said that Snowden had not applied for a political asylum in Iceland. "Snowden has not applied for an asylum in Iceland. For that reason there is no point in wondering about whether or not to grant him an asylum." said Bjarni.

Bjarni says that there is nothing special about Snowden's case. "Why should he get a special treatment? Many people have applied for an asylum in Iceland and have waited many months for a reply. He will have to go at the back of the line if he is interest in moving to Iceland," said Bjarni.