Edward Snowden is a candidate for Glasgow University Student Rector

Media release from students at Glasgow University

We are proud to announce that Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who revealed the extent of US and UK Government surveillance of all its citizens, and who is now fleeing the wrath of those he has exposed, has agreed to stand as a candidate in the election for Student Rector at Glasgow University.

Edward Snowden’s candidacy is a unique opportunity to show our gratitude to a brave whistleblower, and thus all to other whistleblowers who take risks to reveal the criminality and corruption of powerful groups in the intelligence services and other arms of government, media, police, parliament, and military.

A vote for Edward Snowden will express disgust and horror at the open discussion in US intelligence circles of assassinating someone who acted out of duty, devoid of mercenary motive with the sole aim of informing his fellow citizens of state criminality. Edward Snowden has shown a spirit of daring and self-sacrifice that is virtually absent in our public life.

We call on Glasgow University students as individuals, and all student bodies committed to ending state intrusion into our private lives, to declare their support for Edward Snowden’s candidacy.

We appeal to all who are committed to open government and oppose the state surveillance of an intrusiveness that even Orwell in his novel 1984 did not imagine.

There will be a press conference of the Edward Snowden for Rector Campaign today, Tuesday 21st, at 5pm in Room 513, Boyd Orr Building, Glasgow University

Chris Cassells (PhD student), Lubna Nowak (MSc student), Qasim Manzoor (2nd Year student)

Notes

• Edward Snowden’s candidacy was promoted by an informal group of GU students in the final few days before nominations closed and nomination papers were only lodged at the last minute due to difficulties in communicating via interlocutors from Glasgow University to Edward Snowden in the Russian Federation.
• On US intelligence circles openly discuss assassinating Edward Snowden, see /www.businessinsider.com/us-spies-talk-about-killing-snowden-2014-1
• Edward Snowden for rector on Facebook