Snowden is seen as a hero to many for fighting back against the “big guy” (US government). He was a nobody who embarrassed the government and now they want revenge. By not treating him fairly (such as refusing to guarantee a fair and public trial) and leaving him exiled in Russia for almost a decade, he’s become a martyr or sorts. It doesn’t help that the government has also intimidated people he’s been affiliated with (eg. Laura Poitras). As such, some view his words as having more weight than some Joe Shmoe on the street.

Put simply: he fought back against the schoolyard bully