A measure introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham would authorize sanctions against any country that offers asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
The measure, which was tacked on as an amendment to next year’s foreign operations bill, demands that the State Department work with lawmakers to set penalties against nations that assist Snowden in avoiding extradition to the U.S., reports the Washington Post.
Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua could all face sanctions. Snowden has been in Russia since June 23 and the latter three countries have all offered him asylum.
Snowden remains in the transit zone of the Moscow Sheremetyevo airport as he waits for papers from Russia’s Federal Migration Service that would allow him to move freely within Russia while they consider his application for asylum, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Snowden does not seem to have a problem with staying in Russia for an extended period of time.
“He is so far prepared to stay in Russia,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said. “He is prepared to learn Russian culture. He is prepared to learn the Russian language.” Snowden has reportedly begun to learn the language.
Kucherena brought Snowden fresh clothes as well as a copy of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment and a collection of Anton Chekhov’s short stories.
Image: WikiCommons
