Edward Snowden, the whistle-blower who revealed information about wide-scale monitoring of individuals by the US and UK authorities, has been granted a three-year residence permit in Russia, according to his lawyer.
Russia Today reports that Snowden had not applied for political asylum but may be allowed to apply for Russian citizenship in the future, which would allow him to remain in the country indefinitely. His three years began on August 1.
Another condition of the residence permit means that, while he can travel freely, he can’t go abroad for longer than three months at a time, his lawyer said in the report.
With the US authorities still probably quite keen to have a word, it’s anyone’s guess right now what he might do if he doesn’t get Russian citizenship when the three years are up.
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➤ Snowden granted 3-yr residence permit – lawyer [Russia Today]
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