(14 Sep 2016) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus063010
A group of human rights organizations have banded together to ask President Barack Obama to grant a presidential pardon to National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Snowden spoke by video link from Moscow at a news conference on Wednesday in New York.
Snowden says he could have never imagined the public support he has received since going into exile.
Advocate groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have launched a public campaign to persuade President Barack Obama to pardon him.
"I don't know where we're going from here, I don't know what tomorrow looks like, but I'm glad for the decisions I've made and I'm thankful to all of you who are supporting me and believe in the same. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined 3 years ago such an outpouring of solidarity, but even though I'm far from home, your company, your support keeps me company in exile." said Snowden.
Speaking from Moscow where he is in exile, Snowden said he performed a public service by giving thousands of classified documents to journalists in 2013.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday that the president believes Snowden should return to the U.S. to face charges.
He said Obama's position is that Snowden's leaks harmed national security and put Americans at risk.
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