Edward Snowden Criticizes Russia's Human Rights Record, Says Online Restrictions, Treatment Of Gays, "Wrong"

Edward Snowden criticized restrictions on human rights in Russia, where he has been granted asylum, while accepting an award Saturday. He has lived in the country after leaving Hong Kong, where he leaked details of the NSA's domestic surveillance program. Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence contractor, made the comments while accepting the Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression’s Bjornson prize for his work on the right to privacy, by video from Russia. He said that Moscow’s increasing restrictions on online activities, and its treatment of gay people were “a mistake in policy,” and wrong.