A group of leading creatives have signed a public statement in support of Edward Snowden, the fugitive whistleblower who blew the lid on the shadowy surveillance activities of the NSA and GCHQ. Musicians including M.I.A, Vivienne Westwood, Thurston Moore, PJ Harvey and Moby have come forward in association with the Courage Foundation to support Snowden's campaign for "truth and justice".

See the statement below:

"We stand in support of those fearless whistleblowers and publishers who risk their lives and careers to stand up for truth and justice. Thanks to the courage of sources like Daniel Ellsberg, Chelsea Manning, Jeremy Hammond, and Edward Snowden, the public can finally see for themselves the war crimes, corruption, mass surveillance, and abuses of power of the U.S. government and other governments around the world. WikiLeaks is essential for its fearless dedication in defending these sources and publishing their truths. These bold and courageous acts spark accountability, can transform governments, and ultimately make the world a better place."

The group encourages people to donate to the Courage Foundation, an organisation that campaigns for whistleblowers and "raises funds for the legal and public defence of those who risk life or liberty to make significant contributions to the historical record". The group manages Snowden's legal and public defence funds. 

They also urge supporters to watch Laura Poitras's gripping documentary Citizenfour, which records Snowden's clandestine interactions with journalists Glenn Greenwald, Ewan MacAskill and Poitras herself. You can read our interview with Laura Poitras here.

In other Snowden news, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been confirmed to play the exiled whistleblower in a film directed by Oliver Stone. It's as yet untitled but production begins in January.

In the meantime, check out the trailer for Citizenfour: