Snowden granted Russian asylum

August 01, 2013 05:37 pm | Updated December 04, 2021 11:21 pm IST - Moscow

In this image taken from Associated Press Television shows, Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena showing a temporary document to allow Edward Snowden to cross the border into Russia while speaking to the media after visiting National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden at Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow's airport, his lawyer said Thursday. Kucherena said after meeting with the fugitive at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where he was stuck since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23, that he handed him the papers proving his status. Kucherena said that Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons. (AP Photo/APTN)

In this image taken from Associated Press Television shows, Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena showing a temporary document to allow Edward Snowden to cross the border into Russia while speaking to the media after visiting National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden at Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow's airport, his lawyer said Thursday. Kucherena said after meeting with the fugitive at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where he was stuck since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23, that he handed him the papers proving his status. Kucherena said that Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons. (AP Photo/APTN)

U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden has been granted asylum in Russia and left the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for an undisclosed “safe location”.

Mr. Snowden left the airport soon after his Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena handed him temporary asylum papers on Tuesday.

“He left the airport for a safe location,” Mr. Kucherena said adding that Mr. Snowden’s whereabouts will not be disclosed for security reasons.

“He is the most wanted person in the world today. Security is a very serious matter for him,” Mr. Kucherena told reporters.

Mr. Snowden (30), a former CIA employee and NSA contractor had been stuck at Sheremetyevo Airport since June 23, when he arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong. However, he could not continue his journey as U.S. authorities revoked his passport.

The U.S. has asked Russia to send Mr. Snowden back home for trial on charges for espionage, but has not sent a formal extradition request. President Vladimir Putin has refused to hand him over.

The asylum status will protect Mr Snowden from extradition.

“A person granted temporary asylum cannot be returned against his will to the country of his citizenship or his residence,” a law enforcement official told the Itar-Tass news agency.

Mr. Kucherena, who assisted Mr. Snowden in getting asylum, said he would now help arrange his father’s visit to Russia soon for reunion with his son.

“They will decide between them where in Russia Edward will live,” the lawyer added.

The asylum status allows Mr. Snowden to live and work in Russia for one year and can be extended indefinitely on a yearly basis.

The former computer expert has already received a job offer from Russia’s popular social network, VKontakte.

“We invite Edward to St. Petersburg and would be happy if he joins the star-studded VKontakte team of software writers,” the network’s head Pavel Durov wrote on his page. “Maybe he’ll find it interesting to protect the safety of personal data of millions of our users.”

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