Putin said on Monday that Snowden could stay in Russia as long as he stopped "his work aimed at harming our American partners." Edward Snowden (Credit: Guardian/Screenshot by CNET) NSA leaker Edward Snowden has decided against seeking political asylum in Russia. A Russian government spokesman said on Tuesday that Snowden has withdrawn his request following President Vladimir Putin's statements on the matter yesterday. In a statement to reporters, Putin said that he would allow Snowden to remain in Russia as long as he stopped "his work aimed at harming our American partners, as strange as that sounds coming from my lips." Related stories Snowden breaks silence in statements blasting U.S. Facebook's outmoded Web crypto opens door to NSA spying Tim Berners-Lee warns against governments controlling the Web China targets U.S. products, calls them 'terrible security threat' WikiLeaks: Where's Snowden? We're not saying Snowden has reportedly filed for political asylum in 15 countries, but is still holed up in the transit section of Russia's Sheremetyevo airport. The U.S. is attempting to have him extradited back to the States, where he's charged with espionage after leaking NSA information to the public. Russia, however, has no extradition treaty with the U.S. and Putin said yesterday that he would not turn Snowden over to U.S. government officials. Snowden sent a letter yesterday to the Ecuadorian government, saying that he was still free and could continue to publish information, and he was grateful to Ecuador for that. "I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest," Snowden wrote in a letter to President Rafael Correa. "No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realize a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank."
Putin said on Monday that Snowden could stay in Russia as long as he stopped "his work aimed at harming our American partners."
Edward Snowden
(Credit: Guardian/Screenshot by CNET)
NSA leaker Edward Snowden has decided against seeking political asylum in Russia.
A Russian government spokesman said on Tuesday that Snowden has withdrawn his request following President Vladimir Putin's statements on the matter yesterday. In a statement to reporters, Putin said that he would allow Snowden to remain in Russia as long as he stopped "his work aimed at harming our American partners, as strange as that sounds coming from my lips."
Related stories
- Snowden breaks silence in statements blasting U.S.
- Facebook's outmoded Web crypto opens door to NSA spying
- Tim Berners-Lee warns against governments controlling the Web
- China targets U.S. products, calls them 'terrible security threat'
- WikiLeaks: Where's Snowden? We're not saying
Snowden has reportedly filed for political asylum in 15 countries, but is still holed up in the transit section of Russia's Sheremetyevo airport. The U.S. is attempting to have him extradited back to the States, where he's charged with espionage after leaking NSA information to the public. Russia, however, has no extradition treaty with the U.S. and Putin said yesterday that he would not turn Snowden over to U.S. government officials.
Snowden sent a letter yesterday to the Ecuadorian government, saying that he was still free and could continue to publish information, and he was grateful to Ecuador for that.
"I remain free and able to publish information that serves the public interest," Snowden wrote in a letter to President Rafael Correa. "No matter how many more days my life contains, I remain dedicated to the fight for justice in this unequal world. If any of those days ahead realize a contribution to the common good, the world will have the principles of Ecuador to thank."
