Russia faces US sanction over Snowden

The United States is considering possible trade sanctions against Russia if former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden is granted asylum by Moscow.

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday unanimously approved a State Department funding bill with a provision, authored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, to press Russia over Snowden’s case.
The American whistleblower is still staying in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo airport after he arrived in Moscow on June 23.
On July 16, the National Security Agency leaker applied for temporary asylum in Russia. The leaker’s request is being considered by Russian officials, but it takes up to three months to process the application.
The asylum request prompted officials at the White House to ask the Kremlin to extradite Snowden. However, Moscow has refused to send the leaker back to the United States.
On Wednesday, the White House once again urged Russian authorities to explain the status of Snowden.
Temporary asylum would allow Snowden to remain in Russia for one year and can be renewed annually. Snowden may appeal the decision in court if his request is rejected by the Russian Immigration Service.
Sergei Gorlenko, the acting chief of the prosecutor general’s extradition office, said earlier this week that Washington routinely ignores Moscow’s extradition requests.