The activists from the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence, an organization of former national security officials, praised Snowden for shining light on a secret government surveillance program.
Although the group honored Snowden as a whistleblower, the U.S. government has argued that the former contractor for the National Security Agency — who leaked details of U.S. spying around the world — does not deserve the title.
Whistleblowers, officials have argued, go through official channels first and only blow a whistle if their assertions are ignored. Snowden revealed secret U.S. surveillance without making any attempt to register official complaints, they say.
The award was announced in July, but the activists who visited Snowden Wednesday said the organization wanted to present it in person. They were the first activists to report seeing the American fugitive since he was granted temporary asylum and left the airport transit zone on Aug. 1.
“I thought he looked great,” said Jesselyn Radack, who once accused the FBI of ethics violations.
“He’s remarkably centered,” said Coleen Rowley, a former FBI agent who has testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about problems facing the agency and the broader intelligence community.
In a separate development, Snowden’s father arrived here Thursday morning and said he hoped to arrange a visit with his son. Lon Snowden told reporters that he has had no direct contact with his son since Edward Snowden revealed secrets about U.S. surveillance programs.
Edward Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia in August. He has not been seen in public since he left Sheremetyevo Airport, where his father arrived Thursday .
Lon Snowden was met at the Moscow airport by Anatoly Kucherena, the Russian lawyer who has been representing his son. He had no idea, he said, if he would even meet Edward.
“I’ve had no direct contact with my son despite previous reports,” he told reporters gathered outside the airport. “If the opportunity presents itself I certainly hope I’ll be able to meet my son.”
Snowden spent five weeks holed up in the transit zone of the airport before winning temporary asylum and disappearing from sight. Earlier in the week, Kucherena said he had recently taken more books to Snowden, including “Dr. Zhivago” and works by Solzhenitsyn. When asked about Snowden’s whereabouts, he replied: “On the territory of the Russian Federation.”
Snowden turned up in Hong Kong in May. He arrived in Russia on June 23, apparently en route to Havana and on to South America.
Speculation has been rife about why he remained in Russia. Authorities here say he could not travel onward because the United States revoked his passport, although Russia could have provided him with travel documents if it had so desired.
Lon Snowden said that as far as he knew, his son has not disclosed further information since his arrival in Russia.
“I’m here to learn more about my son’s situation,” he said, “and I’m thankful, extremely thankful, to the Russian people, President Vladimir Putin and Mr. Kucherena and his staff for their help in keeping my son safe and secure.”
He said he had no idea what the future held. “I’m not sure my son will be return to the U.S. That’s his decision,” he said. “I’m his father. I love my son.”
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