Human rights lawyers in Hong Kong reveal they worked closely with Snowden

Two lawyers specialising in human rights cases - including the secret 2004 rendition of a Libyan man and his family from Hong Kong to Tripoli by US and British spies - have revealed themselves as Edward Snowden’s legal team in Hong Kong.

Barrister Robert Tibbo and solicitor Jonathan Man confirmed they were brought in to represent Snowden about two weeks ago and were kept in close contact with the whistle-blower during his stay in Hong Kong.

On Sunday night, as Snowden was due to land in Russia, Tibbo spoke for the first time about the high-profile case.

“Snowden left Hong Kong today through legal, legitimate means and the proper immigration channels,” he told the South China Morning Post. "We have been acting for Snowden for the past two weeks.”

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Wikileaks has confirmed it helped Snowden find “political asylum in a democratic country”.

Man, an associate at Ho, Tse, Wai & Partners, is part of the legal team planning to sue the Hong Kong government over its role in the rendition of a Libyan dissident and his family to Tripoli.

Sami al-Saadi claims security officials in Hong Kong conspired with US, British and Libyan spies in 2004 to send him and his family to Tripoli where they were tortured and persecuted by former dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Tibbo specialises in human rights with a focus on torture and refugee cases as well as constitutional and criminal law.


http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1267373/exclusive-human-rights-lawyers-hong-kong-reveal-they-worked-closely




UK pays £2.2m to settle Libyan rendition claim



The UK government has agreed to pay £2.2m ($3.5m) to a Libyan dissident and his family who say MI6 was involved in their illegal rendition.

Sami al-Saadi and his family were forcibly transferred to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's Libya in 2004.

Their lawyers say the pay-out ends the family's legal action against the UK, in which they were arguing MI6 was instrumental in their kidnap.

The UK still faces a further allegation of rendition from another Libyan.

Mr al-Saadi was a leading Gaddafi opponent and says that he was forced on board a plane in Hong Kong, along with his wife and four children, in a joint UK-US-Libyan operation.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20715507