Snowden gets no money for revealing secret info - Kucherena
MOSCOW. Nov 12 (Interfax) - Former employee of the U.S. secret services Edward Snowden has not received any money for revealing secret information, head of the Public Chamber committee on citizens' security and cooperation with court and law enforcement authorities, Public Chamber Commission Chairman Anatoly Kucherena said.
"First of all, I will say that he has never traded secrets and, of course, he has not received any money for the information he gave while in Hong Kong. I can confirm this with certainty taking into account his current state of affairs," Kucherena said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper published on Tuesday.
Snowden has almost spent his savings on food, rent and security, Kucherena said.
"At that, certain organizations and citizens provide him with tangible assistance, including financial," Kucherena was quoted as saying.
The lawyer said he had to help Snowden not only legally but in every day life as well, as the former secret services employee found himself all alone in Russia.
Snowden has received a temporary refugee certificate, which allows him to have all the rights and obligations a Russian citizen has, except for work in state organizations and electoral law, Kucherena said.
"He has been granted temporary asylum for the shortest period - for one year," the lawyer was quoted as saying.
Snowden still remains a U.S. citizen with a revoked passport, Kucherena said.
"I think that, taking into account his professional level in IT, he will have good future in any country in the world. Though, if he leaves Russia, he will lose his refugee status," the newspaper reported, citing Kucherena.