Former US National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden can return to the US only if his criminal case is closed. This condition was named by the American's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, Interfax reports.
“Edward always misses his homeland. (…) But he cannot go there, because all those criminal prosecutions that are voiced from all political tribunes are not closed, ”the defender said. In his opinion, it will be a boon for the United States to recognize Snowden as a hero by political leaders.
On October 22, it was reported that Snowden received an indefinite residence permit in Russia and from now on will be able to stay in the country forever. Snowden's spokesman noted that he is not yet thinking about obtaining citizenship.
On September 30, Snowden was ordered to give the US authorities $ 4.2 million for the book Permanent Record and the speeches he gave. The judge who chaired the meeting noted that the American was obliged to submit the manuscript of his book on work in the intelligence services to the NSA and the CIA.
In 2013, Snowden handed over classified documents to reporters from The Guardian and The Washington Post related to the American intelligence services program to spy on both US citizens and residents of other countries. After that, he fled the United States and at the same time asked for political asylum from several dozen countries, including Russia, where he eventually received a residence permit.
In the United States, he is charged with the illegal transfer of information of great importance to national security, the deliberate transfer of intelligence information and theft of state property. In total, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
