World

Snowden attacks Russia rights curbs as 'fundamentally wrong'

It's wrong in Russia, and it would be wrong anywhere, says former US intelligence contractor

Afp September 05, 2015

A giant screen displays the image of fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden as he is represented by an empty chair while being awarded the freedom of expression prize Bjornson in Molde, Norway, on September, 5, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

OSLO: Former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden -- who has been granted asylum by Russia -- criticised the country's crackdown on human rights and online freedom Saturday as "wrong... disappointing and frustrating".

Snowden called Moscow's restrictions on the web "a mistake in policy" and "fundamentally wrong" as he accepted a Norwegian freedom of expression prize by videophone from Russia.

"It's wrong in Russia, and it would be wrong anywhere," said Snowden, 32, who was granted asylum by the Kremlin two years ago after Washington filed a warrant for his arrest for having leaked documents that revealed the vast scale of US surveillance programmes.

Pushed on Moscow's deteriorating human rights record, the whistleblower said the situation is "disappointing, it's frustrating" and described restrictions on the Internet as part of a wider problem in Russia.

"I've been quite critical of (it) in the past and I'll continue to be in the future, because this drive that we see in the Russian government to control more and more the internet, to control more and more what people are seeing, even parts of personal lives, deciding what is the appropriate or inappropriate way for people to express their love for one another...(is) fundamentally wrong," he said.

Read: White House refuses to pardon Snowden, wants him to 'come home, be judged'

Snowden said he had "never intended to go to Russia", and that he had been transiting the country en route for Latin America when US officials cancelled his passport.

"I applied for asylum in 21 countries," Snowden told the audience at the ceremony for the Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression's Bjornson Prize. "They were all silent. Russia was actually one of the last countries in that sequence that I applied for."

Despite his extraordinary situation, Snowden described his life as "normal", even if he'd rather be living in his own country.

Read: Britain pulls spies as Moscow cracks Snowden files: reports

"Exile is exile," he said.

And his criticism of Russian Internet restrictions and laws encroaching on freedom of speech notwithstanding, Snowden said he feels he is allowed to express himself in Russia.

"I do. And I think it's primarily in the context of the fact that most activities happen online. I mean, when people ask me where I live, the most honest answer is on the Internet."

COMMENTS (42)

snowden | 8 years ago | Reply He must be part of anonymous. Now he's telling how governments should behave.

Curt | 8 years ago | Reply Snowden is not in "exile." He is a fugitive. Not the same thing.

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Cunning Linguist | 8 years ago | Reply Ohhhh. Now he gets it.

mike manning | 8 years ago | Reply maybe he ought to come back to the U.S. and run for president. He would never be prosecuted and probably take some of Bernie's support

Steve | 8 years ago | Reply @Geoffrey: Snowden would be silently put in prison via our government if he were allowed to return. The United States may be just as bad as Russia as, we are becoming like Nazi Germany and it may be to late for Trump to come to the rescue.

Patrick Turner | 8 years ago | Reply mr snowden may suddenly have an "accident".

Diane | 8 years ago | Reply How many of you would give up your family, good job country to tell you idiots what the government is doing and lying to Congress about?

Larry Bradshaw | 8 years ago | Reply I don't think Snowden is much of an intelligence man. Any 12 year old kid could have told him about the human rights situation in Russia.....before he went.

bernverdnardo | 8 years ago | Reply Maybe he should go back to China where they have a "long tradition of free speech" or whatever. Honestly, I quit paying attention to anything this guy says after he said that.

Babbarsher Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Now "The Whistle-blower" will have to find new refuge, probably in Iran or the Islamic State of Iraq & Sham, they have better "human right records" than that of "pahelwan" Putin!

M@rk | 8 years ago | Reply Mr. Snowden just may come down with a bad case of polonium if he's not careful.

AlexU | 8 years ago | Reply A dog biting the hand that feeds it?

Christobal | 8 years ago | Reply To everyone on here criticizing Snowden, I really have to ask, "Why?" These same people likely complain about the dictatorial nature of the Obama administration and the declining substance of our liberty and Constitutional protections. Yet what have you done about it? After becoming a governemnt contracting, with I'm what im sure were only professional intentions, Eric Snowden saw the gut wrenching truth of our government's immoral disregarded for the individual and popular sovereignty which defines our first and only of its kind political system. He took personal responsibility for this state of affairs and thought it encumbent on himself to do something positive for change. Now at least the 4th Amendment is an issue again and the people are empowered to demand change they otherwise would not know needed effectuated. Do you think the new warrant requirements for cell phone tracking would exist if not for Snowden? But we will need people like those criticizing Snowden to wake up and smell the authoritarianism before we can get elected officials in office that will put an end to the most severe breaches of our personal autonomy, like the majority of the Patriot Act.

ALEX | 8 years ago | Reply SNOWDEN GAVE UP A $200,000 JOB TO TELL AMERICANS THAT WE WERE BEING SPIED ON-----ONLY 9 TERRORISTS HAVE BEEN CAUGHT WITH THIS NSA SPYING ON ALL AMERICANS----ITS NOT WORTH THE LOSS OF FREEDOM TO CATCH 9 TERRORISTS-----NEVER--

Mary | 8 years ago | Reply Someday his Mother & Father will pass, Mr. Snowden, if you're reading this, you won't be able to go to their funerals. You are a sad man. Hope it was worth it.

Bill Lawrence | 8 years ago | Reply --Mr. Snowden had best be circumspect with his criticism of the Country which is at the moment allowing him to accept their hospitality, times & attitudes can & often do change-- If Mr. Snowden had been circumspect in his criticism of the USA he would not be in Russia. It looks like Mr. Snowden really is a man of principle. It disgust me that Obama has refused to pardon or offer a generous plea bargain.

JH | 8 years ago | Reply @Mike: Yes, the Russian Government is TOTALLY not spying, globally.

Maxwell | 8 years ago | Reply So is the internet really freedom in America if the Government can track and spy on anyone at anytime without a warrant? Thanks to Snowden, we now know the US spies on innocent citizens internet access, cell phones and has build a huge data base for collecting personal information from people that have never done anything wrong, just in case these people may have opinions ...political or otherwise in the future.

Nicholas Falcone Arena, Esq. | 8 years ago | Reply Considering the influence Snowden has had on the meaning of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, inter alia, all in the interest of promoting rule of law, it is unclear to me why he is so maligned in some quarters. As Cicero pointed out over two thousand years ago, natural law holds that a statute or oath that defies common sense and reason is void. This is, after all, the whole idea of our Declarattion of Independence This highly intelligent and principled young man understood this well, and he shows his strong adherence to human rights by having the courage to speak out, even in surroundings less than hospitable.

Robert | 8 years ago | Reply @cassisanass: I remember that... that didn't seem to register with the MSM as much as it should have. And look at where we are today!

NJ | 8 years ago | Reply Or -- he never said this at all and this is just pretext to have Russia boot him from the country now that I'm sure all useful information has been already taken, analyzed and used for all it's worth.

NJ | 8 years ago | Reply What an idiot - he's lucky to be breathing. Find a girl, find a hobby, grow some damn flowers and keep your mouth shut unless it's really important. Criticizing Russia, in Russia - being protected by Russia - is about the stupidest thing imaginable.

Mike T. | 8 years ago | Reply To help “Moscow’s deteriorating human rights record,” Moscow should see the YouTube presentation titled: “The Science of Rights”

CM | 8 years ago | Reply Snowden fighting for gay rights looses my support.

Robert Alexander | 8 years ago | Reply If Edward Snowden doesn't learn to control his mouth, he may find that the restrictions on his freedoms are a lot less severe in Moscow than in ADX Florence Colorado - aka Supermax - if he's lucky enough that Vladimir Putin only kicks him out.

CppThis | 8 years ago | Reply @Art Corvelet: He hasn't outlived his usefulness to Putin's geopolitical game just yet. I give him maybe another 18 months for destabilizing US foreign policy, then he'll win a trip to Lubyanka basement.

Dennis | 8 years ago | Reply @Mike: So you pretty much didnt read the story at all... Thanks for showing up, how much is Putin paying you? Or are you that completely ignorant?

Uncle peter | 8 years ago | Reply What did Edward Snowden gain by defecting to Russia? Freedom? He obviously did not think everything through when he betrayed his country. He was too ideologically blinded by his hatred of his his own country while ignoring the reality of Russian tyrrany. He ended up in Russia not by design as he was spurned by numerous countries. But there he went and there he shall stay.

Really | 8 years ago | Reply Another useful idiot has an epiphany!

James boatwright | 8 years ago | Reply Snowden got what he deserved. If the situation was reversed and he had ratted out Russia's spy programs he would be a dead duck. There are tens of thousands in and out of government programs who sign up to do various jobs. Nobody holds a gun to your head to make sure you are faithful in your job performance in the U.S., not so in the friendly confines of "Mother Russia." I hope he spends the rest of his life there.

Mark | 8 years ago | Reply Is Mr. Snowden truly that naïve to believe that the USSR (excuse me, Russia) is a free state that values the rights of its citizens? I would not be surprised if Mr. Snowden has a nasty accident in the near future while crossing the street, walking down the avenue, going up a lift, falling down some stairs or a plethora of other ways that Putin’s renamed KGB have taken retribution on those that dare make statement critical of the utopia that is Russia.

David Eidell | 8 years ago | Reply Mr. Snowden may well be evicted for his criticism of the new Tsar. The problem is Vladimir Puta has too many Russian supporters. Hope they do a poll someday asking the Russian on the street if they would prefer central management as was performed in the USSR. Snowden embarrassed too many people for the "interest" in his arrest to eventually subside. In short, he is one poohed-scrootch.

rotorhead1871 | 8 years ago | Reply he will be dead soon.....his stupidity and big mouth knows no bounds

Kenny st.john | 8 years ago | Reply Snowden is trying to position himself to come home or to a more comfortable situation elsewhere. Let him rot in Russia.

Kenny st.john | 8 years ago | Reply Snowden is trying to get kicked out of Russia. Let him rot there. He made his choice, now let him live with it until he dies.

cassisanass | 8 years ago | Reply I remember right before the 2008 elections, Pravda, of all sources, warned us about socialism and undue bureaucracy. Pravda warned us about the direction this country is headed. If anyone can warn us about losing liberty to overbearing bureaucracy, it would be a Russian. See what Yuri Bezmanov has to say on youtube. He was former KGB he should know...

Art Corvelet | 8 years ago | Reply His comments are odd as it would seem to give Pootie Poot a good excuse to let him roam the streets of Moscow freely. Where can one wager on Snowden's Over/Under?

Brian | 8 years ago | Reply Why are Snowden's opinions important?

Seedee Vee | 8 years ago | Reply " . . . who was granted asylum by the Kremlin two years ago after Washington filed a warrant for his arrest for having leaked documents that revealed the vast scale of US surveillance programmes . . ." How can a "legitimate" news outfit GET A MAJOR FACT WRONG? Snowden was given asylum after the United States revoked his passport and he was stuck in Russia.

Mike | 8 years ago | Reply Hold on. So the US gov. is spying globally, and Russian companies want to keep Russian data INSIDE Russia, not outside - and that's considered totalitarian? THAT'S BULL!

Kathleen Culmer | 8 years ago | Reply The Founders of the United States of America had it right when they embedded in our Constitution protections from overgrown government that must strip away citizens' freedoms in order to ensure its continued existence and growth. Our freedoms have lasted longer than one might expect considering how many years they have been under attack. For the freedoms we continue to enjoy, thank God and leaders who lead to serve, instead of for their own enrichment. Cruz/Trump/Carson 2016!!

Geoffrey | 8 years ago | Reply Mr. Snowden had best be circumspect with his criticism of the Country which is at the moment allowing him to accept their hospitality, times & attitudes can & often do change.

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