According to Attorney General Eric Holder, the United States won’t punish whistleblower Edward Snowden with torture or the death penalty if Moscow expedites him.
“The United States will not seek the death penalty for Mr. Snowden should he return to the United States. The charges he faces do not carry that possibility, and the United States would not seek the death penalty even if Mr. Snowden were charged with additional, death penalty-eligible crimes,” the letter, addressed to Russian Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, read.
Holder went on to state that Snowden would not be tortured in the United States, as that is “unlawful.”
Holder’s letter to Konovalov comes in reaction to the fears Snowden expressed in an application he sent to multiple countries around the world requesting political asylum.
“I believe that, given these circumstances, it is unlikely that I would receive a fair trial or proper treatment prior to that trial, and face the possibility of life in prison or even death,” Snowden said.
Holder stated that Snowden’s fears and claims were “without merit.”
Although Snowden currently remains in the international transit zone of the Moscow airport, Snowden is technically able to travel, even though his temporary asylum application to be reviewed.
According to the attorney general, even though Snowden’s passport was revoked on June 22nd, Snowden remains a American citizen and is eligible for a limited validity passport that would allow him to travel directly back to the United States.