Edward Snowden publicly criticized a recent Russian effort to expand mass surveillance and criminalize online speech, but there are reasons to doubt its authenticity.
Snowden called the effort “an unworkable, unjustifiable violation of rights that should never be signed” on Twitter. The mere fact that Snowden’s comment was reported by Russian media and not outright censored, calls into question the authenticity of his actual dissent.
Snowden has been heavily criticized for leaking classified United States information in the name of free speech, but then fleeing to two countries with little to no free speech protection. Snowden’s asylum in Russia is contingent solely on the good graces of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime, again casting doubt on his motives to criticize the regime.
Snowden’s tepid criticism may have been approved by the Kremlin to maintain his supposedly “heroic” online persona. The criticism may also be to quell calls from his followers to protest the new Russian law. Snowden says he wants to return to the U.S., and has no plans to die in Russia. Snowden lawyer, Ben Wizner, told The New York Times Snowden wanted President Barack Obama to pardon him.
Snowden was granted asylum in Russia after illegally leaking information to the press, detailing highly classified National Security Agency programs. Putin personally granted Snowden asylum, on the supposed condition he would stop leaking any more information.
“I would lose all respect for the Russian and Chinese security services if they haven’t fully exploited everything Snowden had to give,” Former NSA Director Michael Hayden said in the wake of the incident in 2014.
Snowden’s Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, defended his comments to the Russian media saying “We live in a free society, in a democratic state.” Kucherena further called Snowden “a man of principles.”
Kucherena is a well-known Kremlin sympathizer, and even has ties to the Russian state security service.
Follow Saagar Enjeti on Twitter
Send tips to saagar@dailycallernewsfoundation.org
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.