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US Promises Not To Kill Or Torture Snowden
Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "The WSJ reports that Attorney General Eric Holder promises Edward Snowden won't be tortured or face the death penalty in a new letter hoping to persuade Russia not to grant him asylum or refugee status. Holder's letter, dated Tuesday, notes that press reports from Russia indicated Snowden sought asylum in part based on claims he could be tortured or killed by the US government. It is common for the US to promise not to seek the death penalty against individuals being sought in other countries, because even America's closest allies won't turn over suspects if they believe that person might be executed. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture found Bradley Manning's detention was 'cruel and inhuman'." Update: 07/27 13:15 GMT by T : Several readers have noted that change.gov, established by the Obama transition team in 2008, has recently (last month) gone offline; among other things, it contained language specifically addressing the protection of whistleblowers.
Edward Snowden is not a whistleblower. He stopped being that the moment he revealed classified information that did not concern what he was 'whistleblowing'. He has committed espionage, plain and simple, and Russia is only making sure they've got everything from him before they agree to return him. Plus, if anyone thinks there hasn't been some back-room negotiation between the US and Russia about any borderline people in the US that fled Russia to escape the same charges, you haven't paid attention to history.