Edward Snowden: Whistleblower 'Fears For Life' The ex-CIA contractor's lawyer could ask Russia to help protect his client from the threat of kidnap or assassination. 10:37pm UK, Wednesday 17 July 2013 Edward Snowden demonstration A supporter of Edward Snowden holds up a picture of him Email By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent The lawyer claiming to represent US whistleblower Edward Snowden has told Sky News his client fears for his life. Anatoly Kucherena said Snowden had called him personally to ask for help and that he had submitted his request for asylum to Russia on Tuesday. He said he expected a temporary document to be issued for his client within seven days, allowing him to leave the Moscow airport where he has been staying. Anatoly Kucherena Anatoly Kucherena says Snowden also fears torture or capital punishment Mr Kucherena said he was not ruling out asking Russian authorities to help protect Snowden from the threat of kidnap or assassination that the American believes he could face in future. Mr Kucherena was one of a small group of Russian officials and human rights activists allowed into the transit zone to meet Snowden on Friday and he said he had spent many hours talking to him since. He told Sky News: "Of course he is afraid for his life and safety, absolutely. "He wrote this in his request for asylum and it is understandable that he has grounds to be worried, quite substantial grounds. "He explained his position very clearly - he said that he can't go back to America because he is scared that he could be subjected to torture there and that he could be subjected to capital punishment. Edward Snowden's letter requesting temporary asylum in Russia The asylum request was submitted on Tuesday, says Mr Kucherena "He explained that different statements from representatives of the State Department of the US are blatantly filled with threats towards him, and of course he decided to apply to the Federal Migration Service in Russia because he understands that his life is in danger." The lawyer said Snowden was still living in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where he has been since arriving from Hong Kong on June 23, although he declined to be more specific. The US wants the whistleblower sent home to face prosecution for espionage after he leaked details of the Prism surveillance programme. Mr Kucherena said his client was "fine" and that his living conditions were "acceptable", adding that he had seen worse. Asked for his impressions of the former CIA contractor, he described Snowden as "a clever man who had opened the eyes of the world to what is going on". Edward Snowden Snowden has said he has "no regrets" over his whistleblowing actions He said Snowden had agreed to abide by the condition imposed by Russia's President Putin, that he could stay in the country as long as he stopped damaging the United States. However, Snowden has previously explained that he does not see what he has done as having damaged the US. Rather that by revealing the existence of mass surveillance programmes he is acting in his country's best interests. The Kremlin has previously said that Snowden’s asylum is not an issue for the president, and Mr Putin on Wednesday dismissed concerns that the affair would overshadow a planned US-Russia summit in September. He told reporters: "Bilateral relations, in my opinion, are far more important than squabbles about the activities of the secret services. RUSSIA - UNIVERSIADE GAMES Intelligence "squabbles" won't affect US-Russia relations, says Mr Putin "Russia has an independent foreign policy and we will follow it." White House spokesman Jay Carney has repeatedly called for Russia to send Snowden back, arguing he is not a human rights activist or a dissident, but an individual accused of leaking classified information and as such should return to face the charges against him in the US. Snowden, however, shows no immediate signs of doing so. The lawyer said they had discussed the process for applying for Russian citizenship and that he had not ruled it out. On a lighter note, Mr Kucherena said he had presented Snowden with a Russian ABC book and promised to get him a cat when he moved into his first Russian house. He said the whistleblower had become "quite emotional" and thanked him for the first present he had received since arriving.

Edward Snowden: Whistleblower 'Fears For Life'

The ex-CIA contractor's lawyer could ask Russia to help protect his client from the threat of kidnap or assassination.

10:37pm UK, Wednesday 17 July 2013

A supporter of Edward Snowden holds up a picture of him

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By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

The lawyer claiming to represent US whistleblower Edward Snowden has told Sky News his client fears for his life.

Anatoly Kucherena said Snowden had called him personally to ask for help and that he had submitted his request for asylum to Russia on Tuesday.
He said he expected a temporary document to be issued for his client within seven days, allowing him to leave the Moscow airport where he has been staying.

Anatoly Kucherena says Snowden also fears torture or capital punishment

Mr Kucherena said he was not ruling out asking Russian authorities to help protect Snowden from the threat of kidnap or assassination that the American believes he could face in future.
Mr Kucherena was one of a small group of Russian officials and human rights activists allowed into the transit zone to meet Snowden on Friday and he said he had spent many hours talking to him since.
He told Sky News: "Of course he is afraid for his life and safety, absolutely.
"He wrote this in his request for asylum and it is understandable that he has grounds to be worried, quite substantial grounds.
"He explained his position very clearly - he said that he can't go back to America because he is scared that he could be subjected to torture there and that he could be subjected to capital punishment.

The asylum request was submitted on Tuesday, says Mr Kucherena

"He explained that different statements from representatives of the State Department of the US are blatantly filled with threats towards him, and of course he decided to apply to the Federal Migration Service in Russia because he understands that his life is in danger."
The lawyer said Snowden was still living in the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where he has been since arriving from Hong Kong on June 23, although he declined to be more specific.
The US wants the whistleblower sent home to face prosecution for espionage after he leaked details of the Prism surveillance programme.
Mr Kucherena said his client was "fine" and that his living conditions were "acceptable", adding that he had seen worse.
Asked for his impressions of the former CIA contractor, he described Snowden as "a clever man who had opened the eyes of the world to what is going on".

Snowden has said he has "no regrets" over his whistleblowing actions

He said Snowden had agreed to abide by the condition imposed by Russia's President Putin, that he could stay in the country as long as he stopped damaging the United States.
However, Snowden has previously explained that he does not see what he has done as having damaged the US. Rather that by revealing the existence of mass surveillance programmes he is acting in his country's best interests.
The Kremlin has previously said that Snowden’s asylum is not an issue for the president, and Mr Putin on Wednesday dismissed concerns that the affair would overshadow a planned US-Russia summit in September.
He told reporters: "Bilateral relations, in my opinion, are far more important than squabbles about the activities of the secret services.

Intelligence "squabbles" won't affect US-Russia relations, says Mr Putin

"Russia has an independent foreign policy and we will follow it."
White House spokesman Jay Carney has repeatedly called for Russia to send Snowden back, arguing he is not a human rights activist or a dissident, but an individual accused of leaking classified information and as such should return to face the charges against him in the US.
Snowden, however, shows no immediate signs of doing so.
The lawyer said they had discussed the process for applying for Russian citizenship and that he had not ruled it out.
On a lighter note, Mr Kucherena said he had presented Snowden with a Russian ABC book and promised to get him a cat when he moved into his first Russian house.
He said the whistleblower had become "quite emotional" and thanked him for the first present he had received since arriving.