Sunday, August 4, 2013

Russia is not a colony, US has no legal basis to claim Snowden’

US government stance on Edward Snowden causes more harm than good to the USA, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said, calling the US officials’ claims of filing “lawfully” grounded requests for his extradition “cynical”. Kucherena, said Russia is;“fulfilling its humanitarian mission,”and threats of sanctions against Russia if the country does not extradite the whistleblower are groundless. 

There was absolutely no legal basis provided to back US demands to extradite Snowden, Kucherena reiterated in response to White House press secretary Jay Carney’s claims of “very clear and lawful requests in public and private.” 

“I believe this is a very cynical statement,”
 Kucherena said. “Since I became [Snowden’s] legal representative, we’ve been asking – both through the [US] embassy and I, personally, through the media – ‘Please, make a clear reference to a provision of law that would allow us to turn him over to you.' Thus far we did not receive any response.” 

The only official letter from US Attorney General Eric Holder detailing America’s position on Edward Snowden and clarifying some point of US law did not contain any request to extradite him, Kucherena reminded. 

“If there was any legal basis, they would immediately send such a request,” Kucherena stated. “We have to demonstrate prudence in [this situation]. The dialogue, no matter how hard it is, should be meaningful.” 

“[Russia] is not a colony of the US, and we cannot be told ‘Give him to us!’” Kucherena added. 

Since the former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been issued a temporary residence permit and finally left Moscow Sheremetyevo airport, everyone has been wondering where he is now. Snowden’s lawyer said that the whistleblower was in a “safe place” keeping a low profile for now due to “security reasons,” but would soon be ready to “meet with media representatives to answer all possible questions in person.” Media agencies 

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