September 26, 2022 12:17pm EDT
Vladimir Putin grants full Russian citizenship to Edward Snowden
Snowden leaked information to the public about the NSA's extensive surveillance operations
By Anders Hagstrom | Fox News
Russian President Vladimir Putin granted full Russian citizenship to U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden on Monday.
Snowden, 39, fled the United States to Russia after revealing information about extensive surveillance operations being conducted by the National Security Agency (NSA). He is now a Russian citizen by presidential decree, Reuters reported Monday.
The announcement comes roughly two years after Russia granted Snowden permanent residency in the country.
The country first granted Snowden asylum in 2014 and has since resisted calls to extradite him to the U.S. Snowden faces espionage charges that could land him in prison for up to 30 years in the U.S.
Snowden stated in 2019 that he would be willing to return to the U.S. on the condition that he got a fair trial.
"That is the ultimate goal, but if I’m going to spend the rest of my life in prison then my one, bottom-line demand that we all have to agree to is that at least I get a fair trial," Snowden told "CBS This Morning" at the time.
Former President Donald Trump had stated he was considering Snowden's case for a potential pardon in 2020, but never took action.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, has been one of Snowden's major allies in the U.S., saying the whistleblower unveiled schemes by the U.S. government to surveil American citizens both here and abroad.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/vladimir-putin-grants-full-russian-citizenship-edward-snowden
