Source: RTS 16. July 2013.

The fugitive former associate of the Central Intelligence Agency, Edward Snowden applied for a temporary asylum in Russia on July16th2013, said the famous Russian lawyer Anatoly Kučerena.

Kučerena, participated in the last week held meeting of Snowden and human rights activists. Hesaid that he is helping the world’s most celebrated fugitive to cope with the complexity of Russian legislation and to explain the differences between the status of refugees, political asylum and temporary asylum.

“Snowden must understand what would be the most appropriate decision and what rights and obligations arise from that status,” said Kučerena.

Kučerina said that Snowden does not plan to go to another country as soon as he is granted the temporary asylum.

Request for temporary asylum could be considered with in the period of maximum three months, and during that time he will be issued a document so he will be able to stay in Russia, said sources fromthe Federal Migration Service (FMS).

According to the website of the Russian Federal Migration Service, temporary asylum means “a kind of humanitarian status” or delayed deportation.

“In case of the positive response, the person is getting aprinted conformation for temporary asylum in the Russian Federation. In the case of the negative response, one can appeal. Temporary asylum is granted for one year and can be extended every year for 12 months,” according to the FMS site.

FMS have three centers for people who seek temporary asylum. These centres have a capacity of 180 seats.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that Snowden could get political asylum if he stop harming the Russian-American relations which Snowden accepted.

President of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin, from the ruling United Russia, said earlier, that the Russian Government must give political asylum to Snowden because in the U.S. he is threatened sentence of death for revealing state secrets.

Snowden application for temporary asylum in Russia could reverse his current situation, but also threatens to worsen relations between Moscow and Washington.

Kučerena said that he expects a relatively quick response to Snowden’srequest. He said that temporary asylum can last up to one year, with possibility of extension.

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he can not predict how will end up the case of American fugitive. He argues that the United States which require the extradition of Snowden “intimidate other countries” not to accept him.

Putin also said that the case of Snowden is currently in limbo, but he expects that Snowden will go to another country “as soon as he get the chance.”