The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairsNews

Obama criticises Russia for harbouring Edward Snowden

Obama criticises Russia for harbouring Edward Snowden
7 August 2013
Aastha Gill
Avatar
Aastha Gill
7 August 2013

The US president, Barack Obama, has criticised Russia’s decision to grant asylum to National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Obama said: “The US was extremely disappointed that Russia granted temporary asylum to Snowden, instead of sending the former government contractor back to the US to face espionage charges.”

30-year-old Snowden left the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport where he had been living for nearly six weeks after arriving from Hong Kong on 23rd June and is now officially living in Russia. 

Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, stated that his whereabouts will be kept a secret for security reasons.

Commenting on Russia’s decision, the White House said the decision “was not a positive development for US-Russia relations and it undermines Russia’s record of law enforcement co-operation with the Americans”.

Barack Obama is re-evaluating whether he should attend an upcoming summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in St Petersburg in September.

The US had demanded that Russia send Snowden, an ex-NSA systems analyst, home to face prosecution for espionage over leaks that revealed highly secretive government surveillance programs, a request denied by Mr Putin.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Russian government would take this step despite our very clear and lawful requests in public and private that Mr Snowden be expelled and returned to the US.” 

In his application for asylum, Snowden mentioned that he feared he could face torture or capital punishment if he was to return to the US. In a statement released to Wikileaks, he thanked Russia and criticised the Obama administration.

Snowden said: “Over the past eight weeks, we have seen the Obama administration show no respect for international or domestic law, but in the end the law is winning. I thank the Russian federation for granting me asylum in accordance with its laws and international obligations.”

Snowden’s one-year asylum could be extended indefinitely, and he also has the right to apply for Russian citizenship. However, according to the rules set by the Kremlin, a person with temporary asylum would lose it if he or she travels abroad.

Mr Kucherena added that his client “has no such plans. But, it would be up to Mr Snowden to decide whether he wants to travel to any foreign destination”. 

Aastha Gill

Related Items

More in Current Affairs

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Nek brings Italian pop rock to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Persian Lessons
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • 23 Walks
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher
    Theatre
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Hello Cosmos – Dream Harder
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Amazon boss purchases Washington Post
Stephen Fry calls for Russia Olympics ban in open letter to the PM