Russia Today reports that with Edward Snowden now having secured temporary asylum in Russia he can no longer be legally extradited or deported to the USA, except with his own permission. Legal experts have stated that Russia have acted in accordance with international laws on refugees and persecuted peoples. As a result Edward Snowden is now legally protected within Russia and any extradition requests by the USA would be illegal so Russia does not have to address them. Furthermore Russia has also done everything “by the book” with regards to the Snowden case so if the USA take strong offensive actions against Russia they would be frowned upon at an international level for breaking international laws.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIDtu0rhAl0[/youtube]
Since Snowden has received such legal protection and relative impunity within Russia he now has no reason to travel on to some Latin American nations like previously planned. Of course were his legal circumstances in Russia to change he may have to consider moving elsewhere. Apparently if the USA withdraws its international charges against Edward Snowden then his refugee or asylum status could be revoked but that seems unlikely to happen in the near future.
Image courtesy of AFP Photo / Human Rights Watch
