In early 2015, two German news bloggers revealed that the government would soon institute new
and controversial public surveillance policies.
In response, a representative of the state department accused them of treason.
But as with Edward Snowden in the US, there was a huge public outcry in defense of press
freedoms.
So, is revealing government surveillance policies really a form of treason?
What exactly IS treason?
Well treason is essentially defined as any severe criminal betrayal against your own
country.
In various nations, this can include acts like killing a head of state, divulging military
information or state secrets to the enemy and counterfeiting currency.
In ancient England, even sleeping with a queen or princess was considered treasonous.
To be guilty of these crimes one would incur severe punishments like being burned at the
stake or chopped to pieces.
A person who commits treason is called a “traitor," denoting someone who commits treacherous acts.
Today a number of countries still hold treason to be a capital offense, including the US,
Japan, India, and China.
But convictions are rare, as are executions.
Only a few have ever been convicted in the US of treason, and none have been put to death.
In the US, a traitor would be defined as, “whoever, owing allegiance to the United
States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort
within the United States or elsewhere.”
Because of the broadness of treason’s definition, the term is often misused or misinterpreted,
even by high ranking government officials.
In fact, the use of the word “treason” in reference to Snowden’s case, and the
recent case in Germany, seems outdated and out of place to many people.
Although several US officials have accused Snowden of treason, legal experts suggest
the charges wouldn’t actually stick.
Snowden is currently in hiding for leaking secret data and policies from National Security
Agency, that many, including the President, believe compromised US security.
However, it would be hard to prove that Snowden released the data to “give aid” to enemies
of the United States.
Thus, the federal definition doesn’t really apply.
A moral grey area surrounding the idea of treason contributes to the widespread confusion
of the term.
With millions being watched by covert government agencies, some form of whistleblowing and
transparency is a must.
But how much transparency is too much?
At what point does investigative journalism threaten the lives of citizens?
These are questions which commonly emerge in modern debates on treason.
Although the term represents a poorly understood and ambiguous crime, the word still carries
serious weight due to its historical significance.
If you want to learn more about Edward Snowden’s complicated story, check out this timeline
to find out everything you need to know about Edward Snowden.
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