Russian President Vladimir Putin Makes It Clear He Will Not Bow To Obama Administration Pressure On Edward Snowden Who Fears For His Life

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Russian President Vladimir Putin Makes It Clear He Will Not Bow To Obama Administration Pressure On Edward Snowden Who Fears For His Life

July 17. 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated his government will not bow to pressure from the Obama Administration on requests to hand over NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden. Putin stated, "We won’t behave like many countries are behaving. We are an independent country and we have an independent foreign policy and we will carry it out. I hope our partners understand this and respond calmly."

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Snowden's attorney, Anatoly Kucherena, has communicated he is concerned for his safety and "fears for his life." Kucherena stated, "Of course he is afraid for his life and safety, absolutely. He wrote this in his request for asylum and it is understandable that he has grounds to be worried, quite substantial grounds."

Edward Snowden

Kucherena further stated, "He explained his position very clearly - he said that he can't go back to America because he is scared that he could be subjected to torture there and that he could be subjected to capital punishment. He explained that different statements from representatives of the State Department of the US are blatantly filled with threats towards him, and of course he decided to apply to the Federal Migration Service in Russia because he understands that his life is in danger."

STORY SOURCE

Putin Warns U.S. Russia Won’t Back Down on Snowden Asylum

July 17, 2013 11:26 AM ET - President Vladimir Putin warned the U.S. that Russia won’t yield to pressure to hand over Edward Snowden, while insisting he won’t allow the fugitive American to poison ties between the former Cold War foes.

"We won’t behave like many countries are behaving," Putin told reporters in the Siberian city of Chita, a day after the former U.S. security contractor bid for temporary asylum in Russia. "We are an independent country and we have an independent foreign policy and we will carry it out. I hope our partners understand this and respond calmly."

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said, "We are an independent country and we have an independent foreign policy and we will carry it out. I hope our partners understand this and respond calmly."

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