Snowden formally asks political asylum in Russia

Fugitive US citizen Edward Snowden has asked for political asylum in Russia, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. The Kremlin made no comments over the latest developments.

"British citizen Sarah Harrison who acted on behalf of the US citizen Edward Snowden arrived at the consular office of the Foreign Ministry in the Sheremetyevo airport. She has handed over to the Russian diplomats Snowden's request about granting him political asylum in Russia," the Interfax news agency quoted consular officer Kim Shevchenko as saying.

According to Shevchenko, he passed Snowden's note to a Foreign Ministry's messenger.

The fate of Snowden, the former US National Security Agency contractor, became a hot political issue in Russia following his unexpected arrival and self-confinement in Moscow airport's transit zone seven days ago.

Russian officials are divided over the question, whether or not Snowden's asylum request should be approved or rejected.

Snowden, wanted by the US for leaking the government's surveillance programs, revealed the problems with democracy and human rights in the United States itself, Russian Public Chamber said Monday.

"Public Chamber urges the US civil society and public figures to discuss the issue about massive violation of the rights and freedoms of their fellow citizens as well as foreign nationals through the use of global social networks," the Chamber said in a statement published on its official website.

Public Chamber is a half-elected, half-appointed body supposed to provide feedback between common citizens and government institutions.