Snowden growing accustomed to Russian life, waiting for father’s August arrival
Edward Snowden remains in an undisclosed “safe place,” tasting local food and adjusting to Russian life, according to his lawyer. The NSA leaker is waiting for his father to arrive, who will help make decisions about Snowden's situation and security.
Snowden’s father is expected to arrive in Russia by the end of
the month, after receiving an invitation from his son’s attorney,
Anatoly Kucherena.
“The invitation was forwarded and it was accepted,” said
Lon Snowden’s lawyer, Mattie Fein, as quoted by ITAR-TASS news
agency. “I can’t tell you the exact date of his arrival, but
it’s going to happen in August.”
Kucherena expressed hope on Tuesday that Lon Snowden will “get
a visa in the next couple of days.” The same goes for Edward
Snowden’s US attorney and several of his American friends, who
received similar invitations to come to Russia.
The legal representative stressed that Edward Snowden misses his
family and is eagerly awaiting his father’s arrival.
All the “important decisions” concerning everyday life and
Snowden’s communication with the media will be “made during
the family council,” the lawyer stressed.
Although Russia’s leading social network VKontakte offered the
whistleblower a job in user data protection, Kucherena said “I
don’t yet know where he’s going to work. He still has some money
left.”
Snowden may also be invited to work as an expert for the Russian
Parliament. Federation Council member Ruslan Gattarov said he is
going to discuss the whistleblower’s “possible cooperation
with a working group,” dealing with citizens' privacy rights
and personal data security.
"First of all, we’ll be interested not in the facts of leaks
themselves, but in the ways to improve our personal data
protection," Gattarov explained. "Snowden will not work
against the US, and will only help us protect the personal data
of Russians."
Kucherena once again refused to disclose the whereabouts of his
client, who left Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport last Thursday
after being granted asylum in Russia.
The attorney said that the 30-year-old remains “on the Russian
territory” and was registered at a place of residence by the
Federal Migration Service on Tuesday.
“As for sight-seeing in Moscow and travelling across Russia,
he has such desire, but he needs time to recover,” Kucherena
said, adding that it will only happen if “the level of
security is acceptable.”
He added that Snowden is already growing accustomed to the
regional cuisine.
“I brought him Khachapuri and he enjoyed it,” the lawyer
said. Khachapuri is a popular Georgian dish consisting of
flatbread and cheese.
The attorney said that he’s going to deliver more books to
Snowden’s “safe place” after the whistleblower read
“Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoyevsky and began
learning the Russian language.
Snowden was granted a one-year asylum in Russia last Thursday,
finally leaving the confines of the airport where he had been
holed up since June 23.
By accepting the documents, he agreed that he would not commit
any future leaks against Washington. Russian President Vladimir
Putin previously warned “that any activity of his that could
damage US-Russian relations is unacceptable for [Russia].”
The residence permit allows the former CIA employee - whose US
passport has been revoked - to work and freely travel all across
Russia. The whistleblower is wanted in the US on espionage
charges after revealing secret NSA surveillance programs to the
public.
Snowden’s asylum can be renewed indefinitely on an annual basis.
However, it will be terminated if the NSA leaker leaves Russian
territory.
