Snowden’s lawyer previously stated that the NSA whistleblower would like to extend his residence permit when it expires in April. The whistleblower has lived in Russia for seven years since fleeing the US, where he is wanted on espionage charges.
Former CIA employee Edward Snowden has filed documents to extend his residence permit for another three years, his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said on Thursday.
Snowden’s legal representative added that due to the existing circumstances, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, he realises that certain issues might not be settled at once but he will patiently look forward to the decision by the migration agency.
Snowden’s Asylum in Russia
Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia in 2013 after he fled the United States, where he had worked for the Central Intelligence Agency before joining the National Security Agency.
While at the NSA, Snowden leaked a trove of classified intelligence data detailing the US domestic surveillance programme. The docs showed that the US had tapped Internet cables, collected phone records and emails, including records of world leaders, and tracked the location of cell phones.
Since June 2013, he has been wanted in the United States on two counts of violating the Espionage Act and theft of government property.
Snowden fled the US to Hong Kong, but after facing extradition to his home country, he sought refuge in Russia, where in 2014 he was granted a three-year residence permit which was prolonged in 2017./sputniknews/
