Snowden plans to live, work in Russia, his lawyer says

American intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is planning to settle and work in Russia, a lawyer helping the whistleblower has told the RT.

“He’s planning to arrange his life here. He plans to get a job. And, I think, that all his further decisions will be made considering the situation he found himself in,” Anatoly Kucherena said.

Snowden, a former contractor at the US National Security Agency, has applied for asylum in Russia. He has been in the transit area of Moscow’s international airport since arriving there from Hong Kong on June 23.

The US has revoked his passport to prevent him from travelling further. Washington has warned Moscow that there would be consequences for Russia if it decided to grant asylum to Snowden.

The Russian lawyer added that Snowden’s asylum request “deserves attention” due to the fears that have prompted him to make such a decision.

“He fears for his health and his life. He’s afraid that if he’ll be handed to the US, torture can be used against him down to death penalty,” Kucherena said.

The lawyer added that even if Snowden’s request is rejected, he can take the decision to an appeals court.

In that case, Snowden has “an opportunity to go to court and appeal against the decision of the Federal Migration Service.”

“He intends to do so,” the attorney stressed. “During our meeting, our dialogues, and our consultations, he made detailed inquiries on those procedures. And I informed him of what possibilities he has according to Russian law.”

The 30-year-old whistleblower is wanted in the US on charges of espionage and theft of government property.