# taz.de -- Documentation of Snowden's letter: „Speaking the Truth is not a C… | |
> „My government [...] seeks to criminalize political speech“, | |
> whistleblower Edward Snowden writes in a letter to Germany. | |
Bild: Edward Snowden in Russia, where he has been granted temporary asylum. | |
To whom it may concern, | |
I have been invited to write to you regarding your investigation of mass | |
surveillance. | |
I am Edward Joseph Snowden, formerly employed through contracts or direct | |
hire as a technical expert for the United States National Security Agency, | |
Central Intelligence Agency, and Defence Intelligence Agency. | |
In the course of my service to these organizations, I believe I witnessed | |
systemic violations of law by my government that created a moral duty to | |
act. As a result of reporting these concerns, I have faced a severe and | |
sustained campaign of persecution that forced me from my family and home. I | |
am currently living in exile under a grant of temporary asylum in the | |
Russian Federation in accordane with international law. | |
I am heartened by the response to my act of political expression, in both | |
the United States and beyond. Citizens around the world as well as high | |
officials – including in the United States – have judged the revelation of | |
an unaccountable system of pervasive surveillance to be a public service. | |
These spying revelations have resulted in the proposal of many new laws and | |
policies to address formerly concealed abuses of the public trust. The | |
benefits to society of this growing knowledge are becoming increasinlgy | |
clear at the same time claimed risks are being shown to have been | |
mitigated. | |
Though the outcome of my efforts has been demonstrably positive, my | |
government continues to treat dissent as defection, and seeks to | |
criminalize political speech with felony charges that provide no defense. | |
However, speaking the truth is not a crime. I am confident that with the | |
support of the international community, the government of the United States | |
will abandon this harmful behavior. I hope that when the difficulties of | |
this humanitarian situation have been resolved, I will be able to cooperate | |
in the responsible finding of fact regarding reports in the media, | |
particularly in regard to the truth and authenticity of documents, as | |
appropriate and in accordance with the law. | |
I look forward to speaking with you in your country when the situation is | |
resolved, and thank you for your efforts in upholding the international | |
laws that protect us all. | |
With my best regards | |
[signed ]Edward Snowden | |
31 October 2013 | |
witnessed by Hans-Christian Ströbele (Member of the Bundestag) | |
A scan of the original letter may be found on [1][Hans-Christian Ströbele's | |
website]. | |
1 Nov 2013 | |
## LINKS | |
[1] http://www2.stroebele-online.de/upload/brief_snowden_englisch.pdf | |
## AUTOREN | |
Edward Snowden | |
## TAGS | |
Edward Snowden | |
USA | |
NSA | |
Whistleblower | |
No-Spy-Abkommen | |
Tempora | |
Hans-Christian Ströbele | |
Hans-Christian Ströbele | |
Edward Snowden | |
## ARTIKEL ZUM THEMA | |
Kommentar No-Spy-Abkommen: Zupf mal einer am Blümchen | |
Die US-Regierung hat wenig Interesse daran, Deutschland Zugeständnisse zu | |
machen. Es ist wieder Zeit für Trübsal – und für Eigeninitiative. | |
Datenskandal und Drohnenkrieg: Schafft ein, zwei, viele Websites | |
2013 ist das Jahr, in dem das Internet endgültig zur Waffe wurde. Und zwar | |
ganz anders als gedacht. So kann es nicht weitergehen. | |
Ströbele, Snowden und Asyl: Versuchen wir das Unmögliche | |
Christian Ströbele landet mit seinem Moskau-Besuch einen Coup. Und er sucht | |
nach einem Weg, dem Whistleblower Asyl in Deutschland zu gewähren. | |
Kommentar Grüner Politiker bei Snowden: Danke, Christian Ströbele! | |
Mit seinem Besuch bei Edward Snowden beweist der junggebliebene Grüne, was | |
alles möglich ist, wenn Politik die ausgetretenen Pfade verlässt. | |
Brief von Edward Snowden: „Die Wahrheit ist kein Verbrechen“ | |
„Meine Regierung strebt danach, politische Meinungsäußerung zu | |
kriminalisieren“, schreibt der Whistleblower an die Bundesregierung. |