Accompanied by released journalist Evan Gershkovich and members of his family, US President Joe Biden explains the prisoner exchange at the White House. (©AP via Kyodo)
Twenty-four people held in custody by the United States, five European countries, Russia, and Belarus were recently part of a grand prisoner exchange. The transfers took place in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, which functioned as an intermediary for the deal. Western countries received 16 prisoners in exchange for handing over eight Russian prisoners. It was the largest prisoner swap since the end of the Cold War.
First, we welcome the release of the 16 individuals from Russian prisons. Most of them, including prisoners of conscience, were arrested for trumped-up "political crimes." One was a prominent foreign journalist who had been wrongfully jailed on false charges by the Vladimir Putin regime. Meanwhile, that regime continues its unabated invasion of Ukraine.
Russia's 'Bargaining Chips'
The Kremlin utterly trampled upon freedom of the press and human rights. Moreover, Russia has also used these innocent people as bargaining chips in its dealings with the West. We deplore President Putin's despicable "hostage diplomacy."
The newly released Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 on suspicion of espionage. He had been reporting in Russia. Although he steadfastly maintained his innocence, a Russian court sentenced him to 16 years in prison in July.
Another US citizen included in the prisoner swap, former US Marine Paul Whelan, had already spent six years in a Russian prison. Russia had detained him also on suspicion of spying.
Exchanging a Known Hitman
Authorities in the US and Europe were forced to make a difficult decision regarding the release of prisoner Vadim Krasikov. He was a Russian officer in the FSB intelligence service and known as a professional hitman.
Krasikov appeared to be Russian leader Vladimir Putin's most important target for repatriation. Putin himself was a former FSB officer. Moreover, Krasikov was serving a life sentence for assassinating a leading Russian dissident whom Putin considered a political rival. That assassination took place in a park in the German capital Berlin in August 2019.
Several other dangerous individuals who helped the Putin regime and its invasions of other countries were also returned to Russia. According to the BBC, they included an intelligence officer who plotted to smuggle American precision weapons into Russia and the mastermind of a cyber hacking group that defrauded huge amounts of money from American financial institutions.
Prisoners of Conscience Waiting for Freedom
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were on hand at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when Gershkovich and the other released Americans touched down on US soil. Biden greeted them by saying: "Your ordeal is over. You're free again."
Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump criticized the deal as too one-sided in a social media post. He asked, "Are the released prisoners murderers, killers, or thugs?" He also warned that "it would set a bad precedent for the future."
Bonn, Germany was the transfer destination for three of the released prisoners, including Russian opposition activist Ilya Yashin. Traded against his will, Yashin said the 16 released detainees represent only a drop in the ocean since numerous other innocent prisoners remain in Putin's jails. Yashin added that he hoped to return to his homeland as he has dedicated his life to achieving a free Russia.
In February 2024, Alexei Navalny, the symbol of the opposition, died in a prison in the far north of Russia under questionable circumstances. The Putin regime should immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience.
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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
