Putin grants Russian citizenship to US whistleblower Edward Snowden

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Source: Guardian

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday granting Russian citizenship to the former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

Snowden, 39, fled the United States and was given asylum in Russia after leaking secret files in 2013 that revealed vast domestic and international surveillance operations carried out by the US National Security Agency, where he was a contractor.

US authorities have for years wanted Snowden returned to the US to face a criminal trial on espionage charges.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/26/putin-grants-russian-citizenship-to-us-whistleblower-edward-snowden?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[greblach]

1. Here is your draft notice

PS here is your draft notice...

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. That would make me smile

Link to tweet

[Zambero]

4. Yes, perhaps Snowden will need an asylum

If he survives, given that he meets all of Putin's conscription qualifications. Ah, for the glory of Mother Russia. Now get in the back of that truck, MF!

[prodigitalson]

5. that would be the funniest thing that ever happened.

not entirely impossible

a male russian citizen of his age

[Lulu KC]

9. Thank you for LOL!

[LaMouffette]

3. So, "Neener, neener, neener!" to the US? Or maybe a message to Traitor Trump: "The door's open!"

"And when you come to 'visit,' don't forget to bring copies of all those top secret documents you stole."

[Deep State Witch]

6. They Can Have Him

He's worn out his usefulness to them.

[vlyons]

7. So will he get drafted and sent to the front lines?

nt

[Beastly Boy]

8. Someone is gonna get drafted!!!

[cstanleytech]

10. I am willing to wager that this was granted to him partly

for some classified Intel that Snowden had been holding onto as insurance.
Especially if it looked like Russia might send him back to the US as part of a deal for reducing or removing the sanctions that the US has imposed.

[Escurumbele]

11. Ouch!!! That is going to hurt, he is of recruiting age...I think Snowden may want to come home.

Putin is so desperate for soldiers that suddenly he comes up with this idea?

[GB_RN]

12. If He Was TRULY A Whistleblower...

He would have stayed here and faced the music, like Reality Winner and Chelsea Manning - and maybe mounting a whistleblower defense. Instead, he fled to China and then Russia with a laptop full of US Government secrets, and allowed their intelligence agencies to access it and steal our information.

He didn’t release the information he did out of any sense of patriotism or altruism. He was a fucking spy, and merely used that information release to try and make himself look better.

Just my opinion. Take it for what it’s worth.

[SunSeeker]

21. +1

That's my opinion as well.

[Gilbert Moore]

13. Welcome Comrade !

Snowden: I didn't know new citizens got a free set of clothes ?

Boris: Your Army uniform comrade. It will look stunning in our Ukraine !

[IronLionZion]

14. Report to the front lines in Ukraine comrade

[LudwigPastorius]

15. He's probably wishing that he'd picked Cuba right about now.

[PhylliPretzel]

18. Snowden didn't "pick" Russia.

He was in the Moscow airport, awaiting a flight to continue his journey to Ecuador, when then Secretary of State John Kerry cancelled his passport. Thus Kerry is responsible for Snowden being stranded in Russia. He spent many days in the airport before he was granted asylum.
Please review the history of his whistleblower who let us know that our government was lying to us.

[ShazzieB]

20. So it's all Kerry's fault?

Are you sure about that?

Edward Snowden Says The US Stranded Him In Russia — Here Are 4 Problems With That Claim
https://www.businessinsider.com/snowden-says-us-stranded-him-in-russia-2014-5

[Autumn]

25. The US revoked Snowden's passport. John Kerry was SOS , don't know if he personally

signed on to it.

https://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/24/kerry-defends-u-s-attempts-to-get-snowden-back/

The United States has been waging a multi-country diplomatic effort to ensure Edward Snowden is returned to American authorities to face espionage charges, Secretary of State John Kerry asserted in an interview with CNN Monday.

Snowden, who admittedly leaked top secret information about government surveillance programs, left Hong Kong on Sunday and has thus far avoided U.S. extradition efforts. The United States has revoked his passport and encouraged countries to deny him asylum.

Asked how a man wanted on espionage charges was able to travel freely from Hong Kong to Russia, Kerry defended the U.S. government's role in trying to apprehend Snowden. He noted Snowden's passport was revoked as soon as the government's complaint against him was unsealed last week – before Snowden departed Hong Kong.

"We don't know what authorities allowed him to leave under those circumstances," Kerry told CNN foreign affairs reporter Elise Labott. "We obviously have to find out from the Chinese what happened. We hope that the Russians will recognize the request of the United States."

International cooperation from Hong Kong, Russia, and other countries is essential in upholding "the rule of law," Kerry added.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Whenever a suspect is considered a "flight risk",

and if they are under arrest or a warrant has been issued for arrest, the passport (if that person has one) is often taken.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/legal-matters/law-enforcement.html

Passport Information for Law Enforcement


(snip)


Passport Restrictive Actions and Information

(snip)

A federal or state law enforcement agency may also request the revocation a passport for the regulatory grounds under 22 CFR 51.60-65. When the Department revokes a U.S. passport, revocation information is shared through various databases accessible by law enforcement and various border agencies around the world to prevent persons from traveling on revoked passports. A request for a passport revocation must be in writing on official letterhead (delivered or faxed to Adjudication at the address below) and include the subject’s name, including aliases, date and place of birth, social security number, known previous passport numbers, last known address, any other biodata including of identity documents and photographs of the subject, copies of any criminal court orders or valid arrest warrants, and appropriate contact information of the requesting law enforcement officer and his/her supervisor. The public may NOT request passport revocation.

When a subject is apprehended and has a passport, the passport may be retained by the law enforcement agency for evidentiary purposes (e.g., to prevent flight). If the defendant is found guilty and sentenced to a term of imprisonment and/or probation under conditions prohibiting departure from the United States without authorization, should forward the defendant’s U.S. passport to Passport’s Office of Adjudication for appropriate disposition and provide the Office of Adjudication information concerning the date and terms of the sentencing order. However, when it is no longer needed for the law enforcement purpose and the person is still in custody or subject to a bond or parole, the passport must be returned to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Adjudication (address below).


U.S. Department of State
CA/PPT/S/A
44132 Mercure Cir
PO Box 1243
Sterling, VA 20166-1243

Please notify Passport Services when a subject is apprehended, when the warrant is quashed or when passport action is no longer needed. If a lookout is allowed to remain in the passport system after these events, it will result in inconvenience.

For more information on how to return a passport based on the above circumstance, please contact the Office of Adjudication by telephone at 202-485-6400 or by fax at 202-485-6496.

(snip)

Here is a link to 22 CFR 51.60-65

[ZonkerHarris]

16. Now send him to fight in Ukraine.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. They can have his sorry ass. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Let's hope this makes him a prime candidate for the front lines.

[fanfanois]

19. People older than him are being drafted

He shouldn’t be given preferential treatment.

[malthaussen]

22. And will now conscript him for the front lines.

Well, one can dream.

-- Mal

[olddad65]

23. Someday Russia will be granting citizenship to comrade trump

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

24. I'm sure Putin did it out of the goodness of his heart

[Wonder Why]

27. He won't necessarily be drafted but if he turns down

the offer of "Defender of the Non-Invasion", he'll be offered a free apartment in a high rise building with windows that open.

[rpannier]

29. And the Putin apologists will all say the U.S. caused him to kill himself

Because that's how the Blame America First crowd works