NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden granted permanent residency in Russia

[steven36]

Edward Snowden has been living in Russia since June 2013.

 

 

 

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden received permanent residency rights from the Russian government, Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, said on Thursday.

 

The 37-year-old former NSA analyst has been living in Russia on a temporary residency since June 2013.

 

According to Russian state news agency TASS, which first broke the story today, Snowden's temporary residency permit had expired in April this year but was automatically extended throughout the summer due to delays in government bureaucracy caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Kucherena said that despite obtaining a permanent residency permit this week, Snowden does not plan to request Russian citizenship.

 

Snowden fled to Russia, via Hong Kong, in 2013, after exposing the NSA's mass surveillance program with the help of US and UK reporters.

 

He was charged in the US on two charges of espionage.

 

President Trump floated a potential pardon this summer, saying in an interview that the former NSA analyst was "not being treated fairly" for his role in exposing the NSA's surveillance program that targeted and spied on both Americans, foreigners, and world leaders alike.

 

 

However, despite President Trump's remarks, the White House did not take any steps towards pardoning Snowden, who still remains a vilified figure in the US intelligence community.

 

If Snowden returns to the US without a pardon he risks up to 20 years in prison, if tried and found guilty.

 

Source

[18650]

Snowden will stay in Russia, I believe he still has a laptop computer with a lot of information that has not yet been released. He will obviously trade this to the Russians. Like it or not he did expose how the government is screwing the average Joe and the media were quick to report on it. However now it is just a memory and people have forgotten that the government is spying even more on its own people now that covid is upon us. Sad times.

[mp68terr]

It's like the Panama Papers and similar documents, it lasts as long as the 'media' are interested. Then just memory for some, and 'no idea about it' for too many.

[zanderthunder]

Knowing that US has no extradition treaty between Russia, this is an easy way for Snowden.

But living in Russia, Snowden should realize what the country's sanctions are imposed there.

[18650]

On 10/28/2020 at 12:18 PM, zanderthunder said:

Knowing that US has no extradition treaty between Russia, this is an easy way for Snowden.

But living in Russia, Snowden should realize what the country's sanctions are imposed there.

 

Until the Russians want something from the USA, then they may trade Snowden for whatever they want...

[zanderthunder]

3 hours ago, 18650 said:

 

Until the Russians want something from the USA, then they may trade Snowden for whatever they want...

Quite impossible. You should know the history between USA and Russia relations before you even speak that.