Snowden Updates

Email exchange between Edward Snowden and former GOP Senator Gordon Humphrey



And check out this Q&A with the State Department.

Excerpt:

QUESTION: Well, is the United States Government now in the business of trying to discourage people or governments from facilitating people having – meeting with human rights activists? I don’t get it.

MS. PSAKI: Matt, this is not a universal position of the United States. This is an individual --

QUESTION: So it’s just in this one case.

MS. PSAKI: -- who has been accused of three – of felony charges.

QUESTION: But surely – Jen --

MS. PSAKI: This is not a unique --

QUESTION: Okay. He’s been accused. Do you remember the old line that we’re supposed to all know – he has not been convicted of anything yet.

MS. PSAKI: And he can return to the United States and face the charges.

QUESTION: But he can also surely – people who are accused of crimes are allowed their right of free speech, are they not?

MS. PSAKI: Matt, I think we’ve gone the round on this.

QUESTION: No, I mean, it’s a legitimate question. I mean, you talk about even in Russia that journalists have been persecuted and political activists have been persecuted and you call for free speech around the world. But you’re not saying that Mr. Snowden has the right of free speech?

MS. PSAKI: That’s not at all what I was saying. We believe, of course, broadly in free speech. Our concern here was that this was – there was obvious facilitation by the Russians in this case. We’ve conveyed that. We’ve conveyed our concerns. I’m saying them publicly.

QUESTION: So you’re upset – you’re not upset about the press conference; you’re upset that the Russians facilitated it.

MS. PSAKI: We certainly are upset that there was a platform for an individual who’s been accused of felony crimes.

QUESTION: But what does that matter, really? I mean, people that are in jail or are on trial in the United States, they give press conferences or they speak out all the time. I mean, it sounds to me like what you’re not really upset with the act that he spoke; you’re upset with the fact that the Russians did something on his behalf.

MS. PSAKI: I think I’ve expressed what we’re upset about.

[...]

QUESTION: Is it this building’s role, then, to formally request a denial of asylum? I mean, what is the communication here? If the issue of him being a fugitive is handled through Justice, what is it that State is doing?

Quite obviously pursuing a political crusade against an American citizen. Political persecution - surely that technically and legally requires another country to grant asylum. I think the Russians can figure that out.

UPDATE: Here's video of the State Dept. Q&A: