Edward Snowden criticises Russia for crackdown on internet freedom, homosexuality

National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden has criticised Russia for its attack on internet freedom and negligent attitude towards gay rights, despite having been granted asylum by the country.

According to the Guardian, Snowden was given a three-year residence permit in August 2014, but insisted that it was never his choice to go there. He said that Russia's approach to homosexuality and tightening grip over internet activities was "fundamentally wrong". 

He said that he would prefer to live in the US, although he cannot return without facing arrest for leaking to the Guardian classified documents revealing the vast scale of the country's surveillance programmes.