The whistleblower says that speaking out about the NSA has left him without a home

Dec 17, 2013 10:01 GMT  ·  By
Edward Snowden says he needs asylum to be able to speak out about NSA surveillance
   Edward Snowden says he needs asylum to be able to speak out about NSA surveillance

Edward Snowden would really like to help out Brazil, but he’d like some help in return – without political asylum, the US can continue its efforts to shut him up.

In a letter published by Folha de S. Paulo newspaper from Brazil, Snowden states that he’s impressed by the Brazilian government’s strong criticism of the NSA surveillance programs, including the reaction they had in regard to the agency’s spying on Dilma Rousseff’s mobile phone.

Brazil, like many other nations, has said it would like Snowden’s help during hearings about the NSA’s practices.

“I’ve expressed my willingness to assist where it’s appropriate and legal, but, unfortunately, the U.S. government has been working hard to limit my ability to do so,” reads the letter, which the newspaper says is signed by Snowden.

“Until a country grants me permanent political asylum, the U.S. government will continue to interfere with my ability to speak out,” the letter adds.

Of course, this particular statement doesn’t really come as a surprise. So many nations have asked for help, but none has actually extended the same courtesy to the whistleblower.

Brazilian lawmakers have toyed with the idea of offering Snowden asylum before, in the heat of the revelations regarding their country, but discussions died off and there’s been no mention of this in months.

The letter also speaks of the journey the world has been on in the past six months, starting with the first reports and the reactions that have come over the time elapsed from then. “The price for my speech was my passport, but I would pay it again: I will not be the one to ignore criminality for the sake of political comfort. I would rather be without a state than without a voice,” Snowden says.

Snowden is currently in Russia, where he was granted temporary asylum earlier this year after he had spent over a month in the transit area of the Sheremetyevo airport, following the United State’s decision to revoke his passport.