Following an announcement that Edward Snowden’s Russian asylum status was extended for another three years allowing him to stay in the country until 2020, his lawyer said that the former NSA is legally eligible to obtain Russian citizenship.
Russian authorities said earlier on Wednesday they had extended a residency permit for Snowden, who was given asylum in Russia after leaking classified information about U.S. spy operations. That permit is now valid until 2020, the lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, was quoted as saying by Russia’s RIA news agency.
“In effect, he now has all grounds to receive citizenship in the future, over the course of a certain period, since under the law we have a period of residence on Russia soil of not less than 5 years (to receive Russian citizenship),” Snowden’s lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told RIA Novosti news agency. “This means that if he decides [to apply for citizenship] in the near future, it will be legally possible. He has now lived in Russia for almost four years, has not violated any laws, and there are no [legal] claims against him – this is one of the reasons his residence permit was extended,” Kucherena explained.
In a statement to Interfax cited by RT, Kucherena expressed hope that the incoming US administration headed by Donald Trump will change Washington’s attitude towards the former whistleblower.
“I hope that the administration of President-elect Donald Trump will be more sensitive and objective in its consideration of the Snowden issue and will change the attitude the official authorities [expressed] towards it,” Kucherena stated on Wednesday, noting that in order “to do this, they need only to work through Snowden’s story and realize that he did not commit any crime.”
The news of Russia extending Snowden’s residence permit was first announced on Tuesday, when Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed in a Facebook post that his asylum renewal had been secured.
Her post came in response to an op-ed by former CIA Director Michael Morell published Sunday in the The Cipher Brief, in which he suggested Edward Snowden be presented as the “perfect inauguration gift” from Vladimir Putin to Donald Trump.
Zakharova responded sharply, saying that Russia does not betray its principles and does not hand out “gifts,” especially when these “gifts” may face prosecution.
“You failed to understand Russia, Michael Morell,” Zakharova stated, implying that Russia does not surrender those who might be unfairly prosecuted in another country.
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