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Local
NZ coverage is very biased: it gives no coverage to his revelations
and describes him as a “fugitive leaker”
Snowden
was hiding out in a Hong Kong hotel when he first went public in May.
Amidst mounting US pressure on both Beijing and local authorities in
the former-British colony to hand the whistleblower over for
prosecution, Snowden flew to Moscow on June 23.
Snowden
granted 1-year asylum in Russia, leaves airport
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia and is allowed to enter the country’s territory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmuW8tOekt0NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia and is allowed to enter the country’s territory.
RT,
1
August, 2013
The
whistleblower has been granted temporary political asylum in Russia,
Snowden's legal representative Anatoly Kucherena said, with his
words later confirmed by Russia’s Federal Migration service.
“I
have just handed over to him papers from the Russian Immigration
Service. They are what he needs to leave the transit zone,” he
added.
Kucherena
showed a photocopy of the document to the press. According to it,
Snowden is free to stay in Russia until at least July 31, 2014. His
asylum status may be extended annually upon request.
With
his newly-awarded legal status in Russia, Snowden cannot be handed
over to
the US authorities, even if Washington files an official request. He
can now be transported to the United States only if he agrees to go
voluntarily.
A statement by the WikiLeaks has revealed the words Snowden said after he was handed the Russian asylum certificate.
A statement by the WikiLeaks has revealed the words Snowden said after he was handed the Russian asylum certificate.
"Over
the past eight weeks we have seen the Obama administration show no
respect for international or domestic law, but in the end the law is
winning,” the
NSA leaker stressed. “I
thank the Russian Federation for granting me asylum in accordance
with its laws and international obligations."
Snowden
departed at around 15.30 Moscow time (11.30 GMT), airport sources
said. His departure came some 30 minutes before his new refugee
status was officially announced.
His
present location has not been made public nor will it be disclosed,
Kucherena said.
“He
is the most wanted person on earth and his security will be a
priority,” the
attorney explained. “He
will deal with personal security issues and lodging himself. I will
just consult him as his lawyer.”
Snowden
eventually intends to talk to the press in Russia, but needs at least
one day of privacy, Kucherena said.
The
whistleblower was unaccompanied when he left the airport in a regular
taxi, Kucherena added.
However,
WikiLeaks contradicted the lawyer, saying the organization’s
activist Sarah Harrison accompanied Snowden.
Russia
is confident that the latest development in the Snowden case will not
affect US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit to Moscow,
presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said.
“We
are aware of the atmosphere being created in the US over Snowden, but
we didn’t get any signals [indicating a possible cancellation of
the visit] from American authorities,” he
told RIA Novosti.
Snowden,
a former CIA employee and NSA contractor, came to international
prominence after leaking several classified documents detailing
massive electronic surveillance by the US government and foreign
allies who collaborated with them.
Photo of Edward Snowden leaving
Sheremetyevo Airport (Video still from http://www.vesti.ru)
Moscow
was initially intended as a temporary stopover on his journey, as
Snowden was believed to be headed to Ecuador via Cuba. However, he
ended up getting stranded at Sheremetyevo Airport after the US
government revoked his passport. Snowden could neither leave Russia
nor enter it, forcing him to remain in the airport’s transit zone.
In
July, Snowden applied for temporary asylum in Russia, a status that
would allow him to live and work in the country for one year.
Kucherena earlier said the fugitive whistleblower is considering
securing permanent residency in Russia, where he will attempt to
build a life.
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