Word on Edward Snowden's Status

Edward J. Snowden, the American intelligence contractor who divulged a raft of secret documents and then fled to Russia, has been granted a three-year residence permit here, his lawyer announced Thursday.

Anatoly G. Kucherena, the lawyer, told a news conference that Mr. Snowden had not been given asylum in Russia, but rather had been granted permission to live here until 2017, Russian news media reported.

His new status includes the right to leave Russia for up to three months, Mr. Kucherena said.

  NYT

That’s funny. You have to be given the right to leave Russia?

Now if he could just get a passport, perhaps he could get to Latin America to apply for asylum. I wonder why he was not granted asylum by Russia.

Let's check elsewhere....

Perhaps the New York Times is falling down on its quality of reporting. This Russia Times article seems clearer, and makes the situation make more sense:

“On the first of August he received a three-year residence permit,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told reporters.

He added that Snowden had not asked for political asylum.

“He will be able to travel freely within the country and go abroad. He’ll be able to stay abroad for not longer than three months,” Kucherena said.

The lawyer said Snowden will hold a press conference in Russia as soon as it will be possible.

  RT

So, it’s not that he has permission to leave, it’s that he will lose his status if he stays gone longer than three months. That makes a lot more sense. WTF, NYT? And, it appeared from the NYT article that Russia denied asylum, when his lawyer says he never asked for it. WTF, NYT?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.