The United States has reassured Russia that American intelligence leaker Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty and torture if Moscow handed him over.
In a letter to Russian Minister of Justice Alexander Vladimirovich Konovalov this week, US Attorney General Eric Holder said the espionage charges Snowden faces do not carry the death penalty.
"I can report that the United States is prepared to provide to the Russian government the following assurances regarding the treatment Mr. Snowden would face upon return to the United States," Holder said.
"First, the United States would not seek the death penalty for Mr. Snowden should he return to the United States," he wrote in the letter dated July 23 and released on Friday.

"Mr. Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the United States," the letter said.

The US National Security Agency leaker, who has been staying at the Moscow airport transit zone since June 23, applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week.

Russia has so far refused to extradite Snowden as there is no US-Russia extradition treaty.

"Russia has never extradited anyone and never will," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Reacting to the letter, Snowden's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said that the Holder’s letter is not something new.

"Snowden's current situation is due to the actions of the US authorities, who annulled his passport," Kucherena said. "That is why he has ended up in the transit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport."

Meanwhile, Snowden’s father blasted lawmakers in the Congress who are demonizing his son.

In an interview with NBC News, Lon Snowden said American lawmakers should be more focused on whether the NSA's collection of the phone records of millions of Americans is constitutional.

He also said that he is proud of his son for sharing "the truth with the American people."

By Press TV

 

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