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NSA leaker Edward Snowden plans to settle in Russia and is ready to begin a court battle if the country’s migration service denies his asylum plea, Anatoly Kucherena, a Russian lawyer who assists the whistleblower, told RT.
“It’s hard for me to say what his actions would be in terms of a positive decision [on the asylum plea],” Kucherena said. “We must understand that security is the number one issue in his case. I think the process of adaptation will take some time. It’s an understandable process as he doesn’t know the Russian language, our customs, and our laws.”
“He’s planning to arrange his life here. He plans to get a job. And, I think, that all his further decisions will be made considering the situation he found himself in,” he added.
Kucherena expressed hope that the whistleblower’s plea will be granted, because the reasons which prompted Snowden ask for political asylum in Russia “deserve attention.”
“He fears for his health and his life. He’s afraid that if he’ll be handed to the US, torture can be used against him down to death penalty,” he said.
In case of a negative ruling on the plea, Kucherena said that Snowden has “an opportunity to go to court and appeal against the decision of the Federal Migration Service.”
“He intends to do so,” the attorney stressed. “During our meeting, our dialogues, and our consultations, he made detailed inquiries on those procedures. And I informed him of what possibilities he has according to Russian law.”
Snowden still remains holed up in the international transit zone of the Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. His asylum plea, which was filed on July 16, has not been yet formalized by migration officials.
“According to the existing practice, it may take five, seven, or eight days. I’m calling them on a daily basis. They tell me that they’re about to finish the formalization,” Kucherena said.
Originally posted by Metallicus
Isn't it ironic that now patriots need to accept political asylum in Russia to be free.
Sadly we now celebrate traitors and prosecute heroes in the US.
Originally posted by neo96
Snowden will just be spying for Russia now.
The Russians are smart so I would think they will run some babe (think female James Bond) by him to fall in love with, which will cement his ties to the Russian Federation and give him a sense of belonging ect ect. If he is gay they will figure out something no doubt!
Russia has some very beautiful women and many speak English so he would get a tutor, girlfriend, and sneaky little darling all rolled in one!
Originally posted by VoidHawk
Originally posted by neo96
Snowden will just be spying for Russia now.
Spying for Russia - Spying for America
I see no difference!
Just imagine a world without spies, without war, without greed, without corporate monsters, without maniacal leaders....
I was just going to comment on that very fact in my follow up post. I am absolutely amazed that this kind of a reversal could have happened. I grew in the Cold War years when the Russians were the enemy of the United States. Now the USA is the enemy of the entire world.