I am unsure if the comparison to Snowden and Manning is valid. As the article states Manning was/is in the military which basically has its own legal system. Beyond that, if the act of civil disobedience is reliant on there being minimal consequence, isn't that the issue? If something is important, isn't the point that it is worth the risk? I cannot claim to known Snowden's motivations, but accepting the consequences of one's actions seems an important component of civil disobedience.