Russian
laws ‘do not limit’ length of Snowden’s stay in transit zone
Russian
laws do not limit the amount time that Edward Snowden can stay inside
the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, and
international law does not allow Russia to simply return the
whistleblower to the US, Russia's Justice Ministry said
RT,
27
July, 2013
.
The
ministry said in a statement that according to the country’s laws,
former CIA employer Snowden can stay inside the international transit
zone for as long as he pleases, even though his travel documents were
revoked by the US. The whistleblower has been inside Sheremetyevo
airport since arriving in Moscow on June 23.
"Russian
law does not stipulate the duration of time for which a foreign
citizen may stay in the airport's transit zone or liability for
staying for a long time in an airport's transit zone without
documents," the ministry told Interfax news agency.
Moreover,
the ministry added that it cannot comply with Washington’s request
to return the whistleblower to US soil, simply because the term
“forced return” does not exist in international law.
"As
a rule, the term 'return' in Russian law and practice is applied to
voluntary entry of individuals from abroad into the country whose
citizens they are," the ministry said.
US
Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said earlier that the US was not
seeking Snowden's extradition, but was instead asking for his return.
"The
US is not asking for 'extradition,’ but simply the return of Mr.
Snowden. We have sent many people back to Russia," McFaul said
on Twitter on Wednesday.
- ianlogsdon @ianlogsdon
@McFaul I find it interesting an Ambassador doesn't understand extradition. Isn't it pointless to expect something you have no right to?
@ianlogsdon The U.S. is not asking for "extradition", but simply the return of Mr. Snowden. We have sent many people back to Russia.
12 РЕТВИТОВ
Moscow
and Washington do not have an extradition agreement, although Russia
has handed over US citizens on a case-by-case basis in the past.
In
a letter from US Attorney General Eric Holder to his Russian
counterpart, Justice Minister Aleksandr Konovalov, the attorney
reassured that “the United States will not seek the death penalty
for Mr. Snowden should he return to the United States.”
However,
the former NSA contractor could still face a long jail term if sent
back to the US, according to Foreign Affairs Committee chairman of
the Russian Duma, Aleksey Pushkov.
"The
U.S. has said it will not execute Snowden. American experts told me
he is facing 20 years in prison. But his father doesn't believe in
fair trial," Pushkov said on Twitter.
Snowden
faces three charges of theft of government property, unauthorized
communication of national defense information, and willful
communication of classified communications intelligence information
to an unauthorized person.
Edward
Snowden's father, Lon Snowden, said in a telephone interview to AP
that his son was vilified by the Obama administration and members of
Congress, and is better off staying in Russia.
The
elder Snowden said that he has lost faith in recent weeks that his
son would be treated fairly by the US Justice Department. He added
that his son should avoid returning to the US if possible, until an
administration which respects the Constitution comes into office.
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