By Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
MOSCOW, Russia – After spending more than a month in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden was allowed to leave the airport on a temporary asylum. Reuters reports that a representative from the airport saw Snowden cross through immigration services and leave the airport.
Snowden, who made headlines back in June by exposing details of an NSA surveillance system intended to gather phone metadata from American citizens, applied for asylum in numerous South American and European countries before finally receiving temporary asylum in Russia.
When leaving the Moscow airport, the LA Times reported that Snowden could be seen getting into a taxi with Sarah Harrison, a legal advisor for the WikiLeaks organization. WikiLeaks has been a vocal supporter of Snowden throughout his flight from the United States and his search for asylum.
Under the terms of Snowden’s temporary asylum, he may live and travel wherever he chooses within Russia for a period of one year. NBC news reported Anatoly Kucherena as saying, “I put him in a taxi . . . and gave him his certificate on getting refugee status in the Russian Federation.” Snowden will likely file for refuge status within Russia before the year’s end.
Snowden’s success in avoiding extradition while obtaining temporary asylum caused some to question Kucherena’s connection to the Russian government. The South China Morning Post, a Hong Kong news outlet, said in an article Monday that Kucherena has possible ties to the Kremlin.
Kucherena sits on the board of the Federal Secret Service, or FBS, a combination police force and intelligence agency within Russia. Kucherena is also a political supporter of Russian President Vladamir Putin, leading to accusations by the Hong Kong news outlet that Snowden’s success in avoiding extradition and obtaining asylum were the result of a fabrication by the Kremlin.
For further information, please see:
CBS News – Edward Snowden leaves airport after Russia grants asylum, says “the law is winning” – 1 August 2013
Fox News – Edward Snowden had papers that allow him to enter Russia, his lawyer says – 1 August 2013
LA Times – Edward Snowden granted asylum, leaves Moscow airport in taxi – 1 August 2013
The Guardian – Edward Snowden’s father says FBI asked him to fly to Moscow – 31 July 2013
South China Morning Post – Snowden lawyer Anatoly Kucherena suspected of links to Kremlin – 29 July 2013
