Snowden: Long Prison Term For Me Would Erode Democracy In US

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NEW YORK (CBSMiami/AP) —  Edward Snowden - the former National Security Agency contractor  who leaked classified documents - says a long prison term in the U.S. would "chill speech" and "erode the quality of our democracy."

Snowden spoke by video at a New York news conference Wednesday. Advocates, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, are launching a public campaign to persuade President Barack Obama to pardon him.

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.

He says whistleblowers are "democracy's safeguard of last resort."

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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