Former US security contractor Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty or be tortured and would have all the protections of the US civilian court system if he were sent home, the chief US prosecutor wrote in a letter to his Russian counterpart this week.
In the letter dated Tuesday July 23 and released on Friday, US Attorney General Eric Holder wrote that he sought to dispel claims about what would happen to Snowden if Russia handed him over to face charges of illegally disclosing government secrets about surveillance programmes.
Snowden, 30, has been stuck at a Moscow airport for more than a month while he searches for a country that will grant him asylum and avoid the criminal charges.
Russia has refused to hand over Snowden, who leaked details of secret US electronic surveillance programmes to British and US media, to the United States, and is considering a temporary asylum request.
Holder, the head of the US Justice Department and an appointee of President Barack Obama, also promised that Snowden could have a lawyer with him for any questioning.
Citing media reports, Holder wrote: “Mr Snowden has filed papers seeking temporary asylum in Russia on the grounds that if he were returned to the United States, he would be tortured and would face the death penalty. These claims are entirely without merit.”