Snowden’s ’angel’ looks to Canada for help
MONTREAL • One of seven people who helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong is in failing health and needs Canada’s help, his lawyer Robert Tibbo said Monday.
Canada must permit the immediate immigration of Ajith Pushpa Kumara or he risks being deported back to Sri Lanka, where he risks being abused and tortured, Tibbo said in an interview.
Kumara is one of seven people known as Snowden’s “Guardian Angels,” who helped the fugitive at Tibbo’s request in 2013, when the whistleblower fled to Hong Kong after leaking classified information about the U.S. National Security Administration. Snowden’s leaks revealed to the world the global reach of the vast surveillance network of the United States and its allies.
Snowden, who is still represented by Tibbo, is now in Moscow and faces charges related to the leaks in the U.S.
The seven “angels” — four adults and three children — are asylum seekers themselves and are represented by Tibbo. They fled Sri Lanka and the Philippines for Hong Kong several years ago.
All applied for refugee status in Hong Kong and all were rejected. Six of them are waiting for a decision on their appeal while Kumara’s appeal hearing began Monday and is scheduled to continue Wednesday.
The seven “angels” gained notoriety in 2016 when their existence was revealed in Oliver Stone’s film “Snowden,” and have since faced political persecution in Hong Kong, their supporters say.
With the help of Tibbo and Montreal-based lawyers, all seven also applied for refugee status in Canada. Requests for their applications to be fast-tracked by the Canadian government were rebuffed and the asylum seekers are facing months or years waiting for Canada’s decision.
Kumara has also recently asked for a temporary resident permit in Canada — which would allow him to travel to the country while awaiting a decision on his refugee application — but has so far not heard back, Tibbo said.
“(Kumara’s) psychological state has gone into a spiral and he’s descended into a very vulnerable condition, and his condition is not going to improve,” Tibbo said. “It’s at a point where he needs to be taken out of Hong Kong into a safe third country — and that’s Canada.”
Tibbo said Hong Kong is notorious for its low acceptance rate for asylum seekers and said there is little chance the seven people will be allowed to stay. He fears all seven could be imminently detained or ordered deported to their countries of origin.