US whistleblower Edward Snowden receives his Russian passport – Liberation

In the midst of the war against Ukraine, whistleblower Edward Snowden was granted Russian nationality in late September. He officially received his passport after pledging allegiance to the country, his lawyer announced on Friday.

Having become Russian, Edward Snowden no longer faces extradition. His lawyer Anatoli Koutcherena told several Russian media on Friday that the American whistleblower, who had already been granted nationality by Vladimir Putin in September, had received his Russian passport. “Edward received a Russian passport yesterday and was sworn in according to the law”he said according to Russia’s Interfax news agency. “Obviously he is happy, thanking the Russian Federation for receiving citizenship”He continued. “And most importantly, according to the Constitution of Russia, he can no longer be extradited to a foreign state”, he concludes. The official document was received after the 39-year-old pledged allegiance to the Kremlin.

What are the terms of this loyalty? Difficult to find more details. No photos of the ceremony were published in the press. According to Washington Postthe current text includes the oath of “to protect the freedom and independence of the Russian Federation, to be loyal to Russia, to respect its culture, history and traditions” and promise to do it “to fulfill the duties of a citizen of the Russian Federation for the benefit of the state and society”. A promise with worrying timing given that it takes place in the midst of the war against Ukraine. Lawyer ‘Edward Snowden, however, clarified in September that, having not served in the Russian military, the whistleblower would not be affected by the mobilization order decreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Without directly mentioning the receipt of his new official document, Edward Snowden recalled on his Twitter account on Friday that he was in Russia “why did the White House intentionally cancel my passport to trap me here”. A State Department spokesman said Friday that the United States “were unable to confirm or deny whether Edward Snowden acquired citizenship of the Russian Federation”reports the Washington Post.

The whistleblower is wanted by the United States for having sent tens of thousands of documents from the American National Security Agency (NSA) to the press proving the extent of the electronic surveillance exercised by Washington. These revelations had then aroused very strong tensions between the United States and their allies, and the decision of the Russian authorities to grant him a residence permit had irritated Washington. Edward Snowden, stripped of his American passport at Washington’s request, found himself in Moscow in May 2013 after arriving from Hong Kong and intending to find refuge in Latin America. Eventually he found himself stranded in Russia, where he was granted asylum.

At the end of September, President Vladimir Putin had already granted Russian nationality to the whistleblower and former employee of the American NSA. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti that he was given Russian nationality at his own request, made in 2020 to facilitate the return trips of his American wife, Lindsay Mills.

“After years of being separated from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our children”the tipster tweeted. Edward Snowden’s lawyer added that his wife Lindsay Mills was also in the process of applying for Russian citizenship. The couple’s children are expected to attend Russian schools when they are ready. In 2020, however, Edward Snowden wrote: “Lindsay and I will remain Americans, raising our son with all the American values ​​we love, including the freedom to speak our mind. And I can’t wait for the day when I can return to the United States so that the whole family can be reunited.”