Whistleblower Snowden Says US Authorities Decline Open Trial

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US National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden said he had not received guarantees of an open trial from the US government.

WASHINGTON, October 12 (RIA Novosti) – US National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden said he had not received guarantees of an open trial from the US government.

"I've told the government again and again … that if they are prepared to offer an open trial, a fair trial … and I'm allowed to make my case to the jury, I would love to do so. But they declined," Snowden said during a virtual interview with The New Yorker on Saturday.

The whistleblower went on to criticize the position, according to which only those who have something to hide resist the full access to any of their data.

"When you say, 'I have nothing to hide,' you're saying, 'I don't care about this right. I don't have this right,'" Snowden said. "The way rights work is the government has to justify its intrusion into your rights."

He also noted that people should be careful with what companies they trust their information to, because those companies willing to collaborate with any government and to compromise the security of their products and services did not deserve the trust of people.

In June 2013, Snowden leaked classified information from the NSA about extensive electronic surveillance programs that the US government carried out around the globe, including eavesdropping on US citizens and foreign leaders.

The United States has charged Snowden with espionage and revoked his passport. The whistleblower received temporary asylum in Russia for one year on August 1, 2013. In August 2014, Russian authorities extended the temporary asylum for Snowden for three years.

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