Edward Snowden asked for Switzerland to grant him asylum and said he would like to return to Geneva, where he used to work for CIA. The former spy agency contractor had appealed to 21 countries for asylum after the United States canceled his passport, but Russia was the only one that gave him a residency permit.
After a viewing of “Citizenfour” in Geneva, the Oscar-winning documentary about his case, Snowden told the audience by video link that Switzerland would be a good place for him because of the multicultural diversity and human rights record, according to Reuters.
“I do think Switzerland would be a sort of great political option because it has a history of neutrality,” he said.
The whistleblower who tapped communications systems at the US diplomatic mission in Geneva from March 2007 to February 2009, explained that he would even return to the United States if the Department of Justice would offer a “fair trial”. So far, the only guarantee he received from the US Attorney General is that he will not face the death penalty
“The only thing they have said at this point is that they would not execute me, which is not the same as a fair trial.”
Earlier this week, Anatoly Kucherena, the Russian lawyer who represents Edward Snowden, announced in Moscow that his client wants to go back to the US and his team of lawyers is doing everything possible to solve this issue.
Edward Snowden was granted political asylum in the summer of 2013 after he leaked extensive secrets of electronic surveillance programs by the National Security Agency and the US revoked his passport. He initially fled to Hong Kong and was on its way to Cuba when Russia gave him a three-year residency permit. Kremlin has refused to extradite him so far, but also denied that he is working with Russian intelligence. Kucherena explained that his client is allowed to travel outside the country, but he could be taken to an US embassy as soon as he would get out of Russia. For now, although he moves freely, Snowden is accompanied by guards.