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2024 Russian prisoner exchange

(Redirected from 2024 American–Russian prisoner exchange)

On 1 August 2024, the largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War occurred, involving the release of twenty-six individuals. Russia and Belarus released 16 detainees while the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and Norway collectively released 8 detainees and two minors. Among those released were Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Paul Whelan, a former US Marine, who received sixteen-year sentences for espionage.[1][2] The prisoner exchange occurred at Ankara Esenboğa Airport in Turkey. Ten prisoners were transferred to Russia, thirteen were transferred to Germany, and three were transferred to the U.S.[3]

Released Americans on their return flight to the United States

Background

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American prisoners

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Main articles: Evan Gershkovich § Arrest, and Paul Whelan (security director) § Arrest in Russia

On 29 March 2023, the counterintelligence department of the Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg while he was on a reporting trip for having information on a "Russian defence enterprise." According to U.S. officials, Gershkovich's driver dropped him off at a steakhouse at 4 p.m.[4] and two hours later, his phone was turned off. The Wall Street Journal hired a lawyer to find him at the FSB's headquarters but could not locate him.[5] The Kremlin endorsed his arrest hours later. Dmitri Peskov, Russian president Vladimir Putin's press secretary, said that he was "caught red-handed" but could not provide further details.[6] He was transferred to Moscow where a district court formally arrested him until 29 May. He was then taken to Lefortovo Prison, a holding facility used by the Soviet Union to detain Soviet dissidents.[7] He was formally charged on 7 April.[8] United States ambassador to Russia Lynne M. Tracy met with Gershkovich on April 17 and wrote that he is "in good health and remains strong." [9]

Gershkovich appealed his arrest on 3 April.[10] A judge denied his appeal and rejected an offer from The Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones to post a bond of 50,000,000 ₽ (US$600,000). Gershkovich's lawyers said he was reading Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace (1869) and watching cooking shows on monastery cuisine.[11] In a handwritten letter from 5 April obtained by The Wall Street Journal, Gershkovich said he was "not losing hope".[12] He appeared in Moscow City Court on 18 April to appeal his pre-trial detention.[13] A Moscow court extended his detention to 30 August on 23 May, where Gershkovich's parents met him.[14] He appealed the extension on 26 May;[15] a Moscow court denied the appeal on 22 June.[16] Tracy met with Gershkovich on 3 July.[17]

Prisoner exchange

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Negotiations and preparation

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Vice President Kamala Harris met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob separately during the Munich Security Conference in February 2024 to privately discuss the negotiations.[18] During a February 2024 trip by Scholz to Washington, D.C., the German and American governments began working on how to negotiate an agreement that would include the freeing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. After Navalny's death later that month — explained by his allies as a killing to prevent the exchange — the proposal turned to focus on other prisoners.[19][20]

On July 21, American president Joe Biden called Slovenian prime minister Robert Golob to secure the necessary pardons for two Russian spies held in the country that were to be exchanged as part of the swap.[20]

In the days leading up to the exchange, three Russians were transferred from facilities operated by the US Bureau of Prisons to the United States Marshals Service.[21]

Turkey served as a mediator, according to the Directorate of Communications.[22]

Individuals released

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U.S. President Biden and family members of the released Americans speaking with the prisoners by phone in the Oval Office, following the release of the Americans kept prisoner

Twenty-six individuals, including two minors believed to be the children of the two Russian spies in Slovenia, were released.[23][24][25] Marc Fogel and Ksenia Karelina were not included as part of the exchange.[26] Individuals returning to Russia are from various countries: the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, and Norway.[27]

U.S. residents

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German nationals

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  • Demuri/Dieter Voronin
  • Kevin Lick
  • Rico Krieger
  • Patrick Schoebel
  • German Moyzhes

Russian political prisoners

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Russians

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Russo-Spanish nationals

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Responses

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United States

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U.S. president Joe Biden delivered remarks following the exchange

In the United States, Republican representative Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs praised the exchange and stated that Vladimir Putin had a strategy of detaining individuals for negotiations.[29] Republican Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance claimed in a CNN interview that the swap occured because Russian leaders "recognize Donald Trump's about to be back in office, so they're cleaning house. That's a good thing, and I think it's a testament to Donald Trump's strength."[30]

Organizations

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Reporters Without Borders stated that Gershkovich "should have never spent a single day in a Russian prison." Director of campaigns Rebecca Vincent wrote that his arrest was "outrageous". The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom celebrated his expected release.[31] Committee to Protect Journalists chief executive Jodie Ginsberg requested the release of all detained journalists in Russia.[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Walker, Shaun (1 August 2024). "Russia frees Evan Gershkovich and others in biggest prisoner swap since cold war". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ Hansler, Jennifer; Atwood, Kylie; Kottasová, Ivana (1 August 2024). "US and Russia carrying out massive prisoner swap, including number of Americans, official says". CNN. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  3. ^ Osborn, Andrew; Lebedev, Filipp; Papachristou, Lucy (1 August 2024). "Americans Gershkovich and Whelan included in a big prisoner swap, Turkey says". Reuters. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  4. ^ Parkinson, Joe; Hinshaw, Drew (31 March 2023). "Evan Gershkovich Loved Russia, the Country That Turned on Him". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  5. ^ Kirby, Paul (30 March 2023). "Russia arrests US journalist Evan Gershkovich on spying charge". BBC News. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  6. ^ Victor, Daniel; Grynbaum, Michael (30 March 2023). "Russia detains a Wall Street Journal reporter, accusing him of espionage". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  7. ^ Nechepurenko, Ivan (31 March 2023). "The American reporter Russia accuses of spying is likely to spend months in a high-security prison". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  8. ^ MacFarquhar, Neil (7 April 2023). "Russia formally charges detained American reporter with espionage, according to state media". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  9. ^ Vinograd, Cassandra (17 April 2023). "Evan Gershkovich, the detained Wall Street Journal reporter, has received a consular visit". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  10. ^ Olson, Carly (3 April 2023). "Evan Gershkovich, the American reporter detained in Moscow, appeals his arrest". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  11. ^ Nechepurenko, Ivan; Troianovski, Anton (18 April 2023). "Russian Court Rejects Wall Street Journal Reporter's Appeal". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  12. ^ Bernstein, Elizabeth; Cullison, Alan (14 April 2023). "Jailed WSJ Reporter in Letter Home Says He Is 'Not Losing Hope'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  13. ^ Troianovski, Anton; Nechepurenko, Ivan; Vinograd, Cassandra (18 April 2023). "Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia, is expected to appear in court". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  14. ^ Cohen, Roger (23 May 2023). "Russian Court Orders American Journalist Jailed Through August". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  15. ^ Patil, Anushka (26 May 2023). "Evan Gershkovich, the American reporter Russia accuses of spying, appeals the extension of his detention". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  16. ^ Hopkins, Valerie (22 June 2023). "A Russian court upholds a Wall Street Journal reporter's detention". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  17. ^ Williams, Abigail; Shabad, Rebecca (3 July 2023). "U.S. ambassador visits detained journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russian prison". NBC News. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  18. ^ Hudson, John (1 August 2024). "Harris urged German, Slovenian leaders to help secure prisoner swap". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  19. ^ Yaffa, Joshua (1 August 2024). "Evan Gershkovich Is Finally Coming Home". The New Yorker.
  20. ^ a b Hinshaw, Drew; Parkinson, Joe; Viswanatha, Aruna (August 1, 2024). "WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich Is Free". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Perez, Evan (1 August 2024). "3 Russians serving sentences for federal crimes were transferred to US Marshals". CNN. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  22. ^ Tuysuz, Gul (1 August 2024). "Turkey says it played mediator role in prisoner swap involving people from 7 countries". CNN. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Who has been released in the massive prisoner exchange". CNN. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  24. ^ Litvinova, Dasha (2024-08-01). "Who's in the massive prisoner swap between Russia and the West?". Associated Press. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  25. ^ Walker, Shaun (August 1, 2024). "Russia frees Evan Gershkovich and others in biggest prisoner swap since cold war". The Guardian. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  26. ^ Mackinnon, Amy; Gramer, Robbie (2024-08-01). "U.S. and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Swap Since Cold War". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  27. ^ "Russia prisoner swap | Ilya Yashin: Prominent Russian opposition leader and Kremlin critic released". The Indian Express. 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  28. ^ López-Fonseca, Óscar (2024-08-01). "El periodista español Pablo González, liberado en el intercambio de presos de EE UU y sus aliados con Rusia". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  29. ^ Edmondson, Catie (1 August 2024). "Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement: "If these reports are true, I am thrilled Evan, Paul, Alsu, Vladimir, and many others who have been illegally held by Putin's regime are finally coming home to their families."". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  30. ^ Bradner, Eric; Maher, Kit (2024-08-01). "Vance defends Trump over former president's false claims about Harris' racial identity". CNN. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  31. ^ Radford, Antoninette; Passantino, Jon (1 August 2024). ""Press freedom is a fundamental right": Media non-profits celebrate Gershkovich's expected release". CNN. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  32. ^ Robertson, Katie (1 August 2024). "Jodie Ginsberg, the chief executive of the Committee to Protect Journalists, called on Russia to release all jailed journalists and end its harassment of those in exile". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2024.

Further reading

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