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Snowden Asks For Temporary Asylum In Russia

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Human Rights Watch tweeted this photo on Friday, July 12, 3013, of the meeting between Edward Snowden (center) and human rights officials. (Tanya Lokshina/Human Rights Watch)
Human Rights Watch tweeted this photo on Friday, July 12, 3013, of the meeting between Edward Snowden (center) and human rights officials. (Tanya Lokshina/Human Rights Watch)

Edward Snowden, the leaker of U.S. National Security Agency secrets, is now asking Russia for asylum until he can figure out a way to fly to one of several Latin American countries that have offered him a place to go.

Snowden, who has been in the transit area at the international airport in Moscow since arriving there June 23 from Hong Kong, met with several human rights officials at the airport on Friday.

It was the first time Snowden had been seen in public since arriving at the airport. Russia has said it cannot extradite Snowden to the U.S. because the transit zone is technically outside Russian territory.

Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have said they would be willing to grant asylum to Snowden, but it's unclear if he could fly to any of those countries without passing through the airspace of the U.S. or an allied country.

Guest

  • Oleg Boldyrev, reporter for the BBC in Moscow.

This segment aired on July 12, 2013.

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