The White House will not have mercy on Snowden

For those who ask for pardon of Snowden, the White House has one answer: no.

In a formal response posted on the White House’s petition website, President Obama’s adviser on national security issues, Lisa Monaco, said that the discussion should focus on balancing security and confidentiality when investigating possible terrorist plots.

“Rather than constructively addressing the problem, Snowden stole and released classified information, with serious consequences for the security of our country and the people who work every day to protect it,” Monaco wrote.

The former systems analyst of the National Security Agency revealed the fact of NSA spying in 2013 and remains in Russia, where he was granted political asylum. The petitioners call Snowden a national hero and say that he must be pardoned immediately and completely with impunity.

In her response, Monaco said that if Snowden truly believes in civil disobedience, he should "return home to the United States and face justice, rather than hide behind an authoritarian regime and run from the consequences of his actions."