56 minutes ago
image source,Getty Images
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Snowden faces espionage charges in the United States that could lead to decades in jail.
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Russia has announced the granting of citizenship to former US intelligence employee Edward Snowden. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the decree on Monday.
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Snowden, 39, was in exile in Russia from exile in 2013 when he denounced a massive NSA spy program.
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Snowden has not made public comments. He faces charges of espionage in the United States that could lead to decades in prison.
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Snowden is one of 75 foreigners who have been granted Russian citizenship under the decree. The decree was published on the government’s official website.
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Russian state media quoted Snowden’s lawyers as saying that since Snowden never served in the Russian military, he would not be drafted as part of a military mobilization target.
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In May 2013, Snowden leaked the “Prism” plan to the Hong Kong media. On June 23, he went to Russia.
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Snowden obtained permanent residency in Russia in 2020. At the time he said he intended to apply for Russian citizenship, but not to give up US citizenship.
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image source,Reuters
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Snowden faces US espionage charges that could lead to decades in prison (archive photo).
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In the same year, a US appeals court ruled that the NSA’s program to monitor the phone records of millions of Americans was illegal. Department officials previously said the surveillance program played a role in the fight against terrorism.
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State Department spokesman Ned Price told a press conference on Monday that the United States was unaware of any changes to Snowden’s U.S. citizenship.
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Price said Washington has not changed stance and Snowden should return to the United States to face justice.
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