Snowden obtains formal registration in Russia

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Snowden obtains formal registration in Russia

(Xinhua) 21:04, August 06, 2013

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Former U.S. National Security Agency worker Edward Snowden, who faces espionage charges in his home country, had been officially registered as resident in Russia, his lawyer said Tuesday.

According to Russian law, all foreigners must register with the Federal Migration Service's territorial branch upon taking up residence.

Snowden had not found a job so far, Interfax quoted Anatoly Kucherena as saying.

Earlier Tuesday, a member of the Russian Parliament's upper house, the Federation Council, Ruslan Gattarov said he might offer the fugitive U.S. leaker a consultant's job in the house.

Kucherena said the Russian lawmaker had invited Snowden's father to visit Russia.

"I hope the (Russian) visa will be issued," the lawyer said, adding invitations have been also sent to Snowden's attorney and friends.

Snowden arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23, where he was stranded for six weeks after the U.S. revoked his passport. He faces espionage charges after disclosing a classified intelligence surveillance project code-named PRISM.

On Aug. 1, Russia granted him a year-long asylum, allowing him to quietly slip out of the airport. Russia rebuffed Washington's requests to extradite Snowden.

The White House has said it will announce in the coming days whether President Barack Obama is going to cancel his scheduled September visit to Russia.

（Editor：LiQian、Chen Lidan）