NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden will field questions from Twitter users during a Q&A session with the social platform’s CEO Jack Dorsey on Tuesday.
The event, which will live streamed on Periscope, is hosted by the nonprofit Pardon Snowden, which has a petition asking President Obama to pardon the ex-NSA contractor before leaving office.
Snowden is currently exiled in Russia and may be charged under the Espionage Act if he returns to the United States for revealing the extent of the NSA’s surveillance program.
“Snowden should not be threatened with serious felony convictions and prolonged confinement under World War One-era laws that treat him like a spy who sold secrets for profit,” the petition on Pardon Snowden reads.
President Obama has said Snowden raised legitimate concerns about surveillance and privacy, but did so in a way that threatened government stability. He reiterated his calls for Snowden to come to the US for a trial.
“I can’t pardon somebody who hasn’t gone before a court and presented themselves, so that’s not something that I would comment on at this point,” Obama said.
Edward Cox is a Heavy contributor. He has worked for the Chicago Tribune, Inc.com, and Daily Northwestern. Follow him on Twitter @edwardcox88 or reach out to him at edward.cox@heavy.com.December 13, 2016 12:21 pm
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