Ever since Edward Snowden’s identity as the man behind PRISM leaks was revealed, the U.S. government has been trying to nab him. In a bid to do so, the Obama administration even force-landed the plane of a Latin American President, on doubts that Snowden might be on the plane. Now, responding to Russia’s reservations, U.S. has reassured that Snowden won’t face any death penalty if extradited.
In the recent past, we have seen how Bradley Manning was prosecuted by the U.S. judicial system in a manner that is an insult to the notion of justice. In return for his valiant acts of uncovering war-time crimes, Manning was barely given a chance to refute the charges against him.
Snowden, on the other hand, is currently stationed at the Moscow airport. Despite the attempts by the U.S., Snowden has escaped capture and has been offered asylum by a number of Latin American countries.
U.S. has been asking Russia to extradite Snowden back to his home country so that he can be tried for alleged charges of ‘treason.’ However, so far, Russia has refused to comply, citing that he may face punishments as severe as death penalty if he goes back home.
In order to quell these reservations, the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has written a letter to Russia and has reassured that if Snowden is extradited to the U.S., he won’t be sentenced to death penalty or even tortured. That would still mean that the Obama administration continues to think of Snowden as a criminal, rather than a whisteblower. And under such circumstances, anywhere but U.S. would be safe for him.
Courtesy: CNET
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