Putin: Russia can't turn over Snowden

http://yle.fi/uutiset/putin_russia_cant_turn_over_snowden/6704647

by tuukkah • 13 years ago

51 63 13 years ago

eatitraw3• 13 years ago

I've checked russian version of Putin's words, he really said that Snowden is still in Moscow.

Also, there is a wikileaks twit: "Cancelling Snowden's passport and bullying intermediary countries may keep Snowden permanently in Russia. Not the brightest bunch at State.".

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/349556329645473792

So he remains in Russia, and he probably has problem getting to Ecuador.

iandanforth• 13 years ago

Does he actually say there is no extradition treaty? That is very surprising.

revscat• 13 years ago

Think about it: just today Obama said "we're following all of the appropriate legal channels" to get Snowden in US custody. Putin shoots back with "well gee shucks we can't legally turn him over. No extradition treaty!"

Putin is maintaining the moral high ground while using the exact same language the US is.

Savvy.

eatitraw3• 13 years ago

Yes, he really said this: http://lenta.ru/news/2013/06/25/putin/ (just put the link in the google translate if you want).

Here is my crude translation of the relevant part:

"Considering possible extradition somewhere, we can extradite people only to the countries which have extradition treaty with us. We don't have such agreement with the USA. Snowden haven't committed any crimes in the territory of Russia".

Note: Putin hasn't used the exact formal term "extradition". So he may have spoken of some other type of agreement.

throwaway100013• 13 years ago

So he remains in Russia, and he probably has problem getting to Ecuador.

Maybe no direct flights and other transit countries might arrest him?

eatitraw3• 13 years ago

You're right, there are no direct flights.

The originally announced path was: HK -> Russia -> Havana -> Venezuela (probably: -> Ecuador).

I am wondering if the US pressed hard on Cuba and if Snowden can reach Ecuador on a private plane.

Shivetya• 13 years ago

Should read, Russia can't turn over Snowden until Putin gets something for it.

dale386• 13 years ago

Like a super bowl ring?

throwaway100013• 13 years ago

Also, "Ex-CIA official: Snowden probably questioned by Russians “The likelihood that there’s either been no conversation with him or they haven’t downloaded stuff from his electronic gear is about zero,” Philip Mudd, a former CIA deputy director of counterterrorism, told Matt Lauer." http://www.today.com/news/ex-cia-official-snowden-probably-q...

In other words, considering how US has promised to treat him, Snowden has almost no options. The Russians hold all the cards and know how to play them well. USA should have advised his family to hire a lawyer for him and issue a pardon while he was in HK, before spilling all the other info he has.

Well done, morons!

frozenport• 13 years ago

Perhaps he was a moron for running to Russia? Also while in HK the same thing could have happened.

mikeyouse7• 13 years ago

In other words, considering how US has promised to treat him

You mean the promises to arrest him for releasing confidential information? I'm honestly confused why people don't think he should be arrested. If he had released weapons designs instead of NSA documents, would you support his galavanting across HK and Russia?

The question, "Is the NSA program unconstitutional?" is a far different one than "Should those who release confidential documents be arrested?" Unless you think that there should be no state secrets, it makes absolute sense to arrest and prosecute Snowden. I'm grateful that he shed some light on a very troubling program, but that doesn't just grant him immunity from prosecution. It would be far more honorable to accept responsibility rather than to continue this mess.

throwaway100013• 13 years ago

You mean the promises to arrest him for releasing confidential information?

Arrest, a fair trial and humane treatment is different from what Bradley Manning suffered. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/11/stripped-naked-b...

Also, need I remind you all the statements made against him by politicians?

skynorth• 13 years ago

Didn't you just answer your own question?

Because many people consider him to be a whistle-blower. If he truly believes that he is exposing a large and direct illegal activity, he should be protected under law.

tymekpavel• 13 years ago

If he had released weapons designs instead of NSA documents, would you support his galavanting across HK and Russia?

I think you're missing the point. The fact is he didn't release weapons designs; he released information pointing to surveillance programs that violate the 4th amendment.

The question, "Is the NSA program unconstitutional?" is a far different one than "Should those who release confidential documents be arrested?"

The two questions you ask are not mutually exclusive, because whistleblowers need protection when surfacing evidence of illegal behavior. You seem to be taking arguments to their absolute extremes rather than considering the fact that there are instances where there is a reasonable expectation that individuals should be protected. That doesn't mean there should be no state secrets, it means there should be protections for individuals who reveal state secrets that demonstrate the government is not acting in accordance with the law. Furthermore, I would argue that state secrets that hide evidence of wrongdoing from the public should most certainly be leaked.

vinceguidry7• 13 years ago

I'm grateful that he shed some light on a very troubling program, but that doesn't just grant him immunity from prosecution.

This doesn't seem like a rational position. Either Snowden performed a service or he committed a crime. He can't have done both. The fact that it's really a subjective call speaks to its political nature. As such, there is no dishonor in absconding to a country with more favorable politics.

dragonwriter11• 13 years ago

You mean the promises to arrest him for releasing confidential information? I'm honestly confused why people don't think he should be arrested.

If the government believes that he still has valuable intelligence potentially damaging to national security that may not have already been released, and if the government's primary concern with his actions is addressing the national security impact (which all public statements point to), the primary goal of the government should be preventing foreign powers, potentially hostile ones, from getting access to the secrets he possesses.

Publicly threatening to arrest and try him for serious and potentially capital offenses like espionage while he is in territory not subject to the US or any close ally that would be likely inclined to cooperate given the circumstances is, from that perspective, quite foolish.

columbo2• 13 years ago

You mean the promises to arrest him for releasing confidential information?

Being arrested and facing a fair trial isn't anyone's fear.

Being arrested, placed in solitary confinment for months on end, subjected to technically-not-torture-torture, threats against your family all the while having your entire character destroyed thread by thread until the day you stand in front of a show room to argue why you should only receive 50 years of prison time instead of 500 is another story.

If we truly lived in a fair and free society I would be championing his arrest, if anything simply for the truth to come out. As it stands it is hard to believe a truly fair trial is something that even exists anymore.

skwirl• 13 years ago

"Can't" here should be read in the same sense as "he hasn't crossed our border" (Russia) and "the extradition request wasn't filled out properly." (Hong Kong/China) Since this is an espionage case, there is really nothing about the crime offensive to Russia or China, and these countries really don't want to seem subservient to the United States. At the same time they don't want to damage their relationship with the United States, so they keep trying to punt on the issue by not arresting him but not letting him stay put, hence the creative use of words.

Snowden is probably in good shape. If he can't leave Russia for one reason or another, that may change the moment Russia wants someone accused of a crime in Russia sent back to them from the United States, which I understand happens. In that case they probably won't be getting anyone unless they swap for Snowden.

rackman171• 13 years ago

Perhaps the first time I've ever upvoted an action by Putin. And it's well deserved, here.

Putin: Russia can't turn over Snowden

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