No chance for fair trial in US, Snowden says

American whistleblower Edward Snowden says he would have no chance to get a fair trial in case he decides to come back to the United States.

“The hundred-year old law under which I’ve been charged… forbids a public interest defense,” the former National Security Agency contractor said during an online question-and-answer session on the “Free Snowden” website on Thursday.

“This is especially frustrating, because it means there’s no chance to have a fair trial, and no way I can come home and make my case to a jury,” Snowden said.

The leaker, who has revealed the US spy agency’s surveillance programs since last summer, is currently staying in Russia after Moscow granted him one-year political asylum. He is charged with espionage charges inside the United States.

“Returning to the US, I think, is the best resolution for the government, the public, and myself, but it’s unfortunately not possible in the face of current whistleblower protection laws, which, through a failure in law, did not cover national security contractors like myself,” Snowden said.

“Maybe when Congress comes together to end the programs… they’ll reform the Whistleblower Protection Act, and we’ll see a mechanism for all Americans, no matter who they work for, to get a fair trial,” he added.

Snowden also called “indiscriminate mass surveillance” of communications a “global problem,” and called on the US government to take the lead in reforming the process.

“I think a person should be able to dial a number, make a purchase, send an SMS, write an email, or visit a website without having to think about what it’s going to look like on their permanent record,” he said.

“Particularly when we now have courts, reports from the federal government, and even statements from Congress making it clear these programs haven’t made us any more safe, we need to push back,” he noted.

According to a new USA TODAY and the Pew Research Center poll, a majority of Americans now opposes the NSA’s data-collection practices.

The survey said 53 percent opposed the government’s collection of phone and internet data as a part of anti-terrorism efforts. Just 40 percent said they supported such actions.