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| Snowden Is Said to Renew Plea for Asylum in Russia | Snowden Is Said to Renew Plea for Asylum in Russia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive American intelligence contractor, met with representatives of international human rights organizations at his temporary Moscow airport refuge on Friday afternoon and appealed for their help in seeking asylum status in Russia until he can safely travel to Latin America. | MOSCOW — Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive American intelligence contractor, met with representatives of international human rights organizations at his temporary Moscow airport refuge on Friday afternoon and appealed for their help in seeking asylum status in Russia until he can safely travel to Latin America. |
| Breaking his silence and seclusion after having spent nearly three weeks in the international transit zone at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, Mr. Snowden told the representatives that “the only way for him to have safety guarantees for temporary stay in Russia is apparently to get an asylum in Russia,” Tanya Lokshina, a Human Rights Watch representative who attended the meeting, said in an e-mail. “So he is asking for one.” | |
| There was no immediate indication from the Kremlin whether it would grant Mr. Snowden’s request. Russian officials have suggested they would like him to leave Russia, where he fled on June 23 from Hong Kong, one step ahead of an American extradition request. The United States revoked his passport, complicating his effort for further travel and leaving him in geopolitical limbo. | There was no immediate indication from the Kremlin whether it would grant Mr. Snowden’s request. Russian officials have suggested they would like him to leave Russia, where he fled on June 23 from Hong Kong, one step ahead of an American extradition request. The United States revoked his passport, complicating his effort for further travel and leaving him in geopolitical limbo. |
| Ms. Lokshina said in her e-mail that Mr. Snowden “wants our assistance in getting guarantees of safe passage to Latin America and safety guarantees to stay in Russia until he can travel to Latin America.” | Ms. Lokshina said in her e-mail that Mr. Snowden “wants our assistance in getting guarantees of safe passage to Latin America and safety guarantees to stay in Russia until he can travel to Latin America.” |
| She also said that Mr. Snowden had asked the representatives to “petition the U.S. and European states not to interfere with the asylum process.” | |
| Mr. Snowden requested the meeting with the rights group representatives on Thursday. Anna Zakharenkova, the airport’s director of public relations, said that the rights workers were escorted through security and passport control and into the transit zone at 5 p.m. | Mr. Snowden requested the meeting with the rights group representatives on Thursday. Anna Zakharenkova, the airport’s director of public relations, said that the rights workers were escorted through security and passport control and into the transit zone at 5 p.m. |
| No invitation was extended to Russian officials, said Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman. Journalists who asked to be included were told that Mr. Snowden’s team “will be following up with the press shortly afterward.” | No invitation was extended to Russian officials, said Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman. Journalists who asked to be included were told that Mr. Snowden’s team “will be following up with the press shortly afterward.” |
| The United States has conducted a diplomatic full-court press in an effort to prevent Mr. Snowden from receiving asylum in Bolivia, Nicaragua or Venezuela, three left-leaning governments that have said they would take him in. | The United States has conducted a diplomatic full-court press in an effort to prevent Mr. Snowden from receiving asylum in Bolivia, Nicaragua or Venezuela, three left-leaning governments that have said they would take him in. |
| Ms. Lokshina of Human Rights Watch said she had initially harbored doubts about the Snowden invitation’s authenticity. “I’m not sure this is for real, but compelled to give it a try,” she wrote in a post on Facebook. “I wouldn’t want to create an impression that HRW is not interested in what Snowden has to say.” | Ms. Lokshina of Human Rights Watch said she had initially harbored doubts about the Snowden invitation’s authenticity. “I’m not sure this is for real, but compelled to give it a try,” she wrote in a post on Facebook. “I wouldn’t want to create an impression that HRW is not interested in what Snowden has to say.” |
| The e-mail, signed “Edward Joseph Snowden,” said he had “been extremely fortunate to enjoy and accept many offers of support and asylum from brave countries around the world,” and that he hoped to visit each of them personally to express his thanks. It went on to say that the American government had carried out an “unlawful campaign” to block his asylum bids. | The e-mail, signed “Edward Joseph Snowden,” said he had “been extremely fortunate to enjoy and accept many offers of support and asylum from brave countries around the world,” and that he hoped to visit each of them personally to express his thanks. It went on to say that the American government had carried out an “unlawful campaign” to block his asylum bids. |
| “The scale of threatening behavior is without precedent: never before in history have states conspired to force to the ground a sovereign president’s plane to effect a search for a political refugee,” the note said. “I invite the human rights organizations or other respected individuals addressed to join me on 12 July at 5 p.m. at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow for a brief statement and discussion regarding the next steps forward in my situation.” | “The scale of threatening behavior is without precedent: never before in history have states conspired to force to the ground a sovereign president’s plane to effect a search for a political refugee,” the note said. “I invite the human rights organizations or other respected individuals addressed to join me on 12 July at 5 p.m. at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow for a brief statement and discussion regarding the next steps forward in my situation.” |
| The message referred to an episode on July 2 in which a plane carrying President Evo Morales back to Bolivia from Moscow was rerouted after being denied entry into the airspace of France and Portugal because of suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on board. | The message referred to an episode on July 2 in which a plane carrying President Evo Morales back to Bolivia from Moscow was rerouted after being denied entry into the airspace of France and Portugal because of suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on board. |
| Mr. Snowden, 30, is wanted by the United States on charges of revealing classified government information about global American surveillance programs. | Mr. Snowden, 30, is wanted by the United States on charges of revealing classified government information about global American surveillance programs. |
Andrew Roth contributed reporting from Moscow, and Rick Gladstone from New York. | Andrew Roth contributed reporting from Moscow, and Rick Gladstone from New York. |