Prisoner Swap

 

Today (August 1, 2024) the largest Prisoner Exchange since the end of the Cold War occurred, involving the release of 26 individuals.

Russia and Belarus released 16 Detainees while the United States, Turkey, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway collectively released 10 Detainees.

U.S. Residents Released By Russia:

Evan Gershkovich: American-Born Journalist arrested by Russia in March 2023 and sentenced to 16 years in jail for Spying.

Paul Whelan: Canadian-Born Former US Marine, who received a Bad Conduct Discharge for Larceny, arrested by Russia in December 2018 and sentenced to 16 years for Spying. He is also a Canadian, American, British and Irish Citizen.

Alsu Kurmasheva: Soviet-Born Journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Tatar-Bashkir Service arrested by Russia in October 2023 and sentenced to 6.5 years for “Failure to Register as a Foreign Agent” under Putin’s Anti-Western Foreign Agent Law. She is a Citizen of the US and of Russia.

Vladimir Kara-Murza; Is a Soviet-Born Journalist, Political Activist, Author and Filmmaker who was arrested by Russia in April 2022 and sentenced to 25 years for “Discrediting the Russian Army.” He is a British Citizen and a Russian Citizen.

 

German Nationals Released by Russia:

Demuri Voronin: Political Scientist convicted on charges of Treason, a Citizen of Russia and Germany

Kevin Lik: 19-year-old Russian and German c=Citizen convicted of Espionage.

Rico Krieger: German Citizen sentenced to Death (later Pardoned) in Belarus on charges of Terrorism.

Patrick Schoebel: German Citizen accused of Drug Smuggling.

German Moyzhes: Citizen of Russia and Germany, accused of Treason.

 

Russian Political Prisoners Released by Russia:

Ilya Yashin: Russian Opposition Politician who led the People's Freedom Party (PARNAS) from 2012 to 2016, and then its Moscow Branch. He was also head of the Moscow Municipal District of Krasnoselsky and former Chairman of the Council of Deputies of the Krasnoselsky District from 2017 to 2021. He was arrested by the Russians in June 2022 and sentenced to 8 ½ years for “Discrediting The Russian Army.”

Lilia Chanysheva: Russian Auditor, Opposition Politician and former leading Associate of Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny. She was arrested by the Russians in June 2023 and sentenced to 7 ½ years.

Ksenia Fadeeva: Russian Politician, Head of Navalny's Headquarters in Tomsk

Vadim Ostanin: Russian Politician, Head of Navalny's Headquarters in Barnaul.

Andrei Pivovarov: A Russian Political Activist who formerly served as Director of Open Russia and was a Member of the Russian Opposition Coordination Council. He was arrested in March 2021 and sentenced to 4 years.

Oleg Orlov: A Russian Human Rights Activist who has participated in post-Soviet Union Human Rights Movements. He serves as the chairman of the Board of Human Rights Center “Memorial,” and is an Executive Board Member of the Center's International, Historic-Educational Society. From 2004 until 2006, Orlov was in the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights of the Russian Federation. Through his work with Memorial, Orlov was a laureate of the 2009 Sakharov Prize in recognition of his human rights work. He is a member of the Federal Political Council Movement Solidarnost. He was arrested by the Russia in March 2023 and sentenced for “Discrediting the Russian Army.”

Sasha Skochilenko: Russian Artist, Musician, Poet, The Paper's former Author, and Political Prisoner. She was arrested by Russia in April 2022 for distributing Anti-War Leaflets in a Grocery Store and sentenced to 7 years.

 

Russians Released By the West:

Artem Dultsev: Former Scientist and Russian Intelligence Agent, who was arrested in October 2022 in Norway. He was charged with Espionage against Norway.

Anna Dultseva: Convicted in Slovenia on charges of Espionage as a GRU Agent.

Mikhail Mikushin: Arrested in Norway on charges of Espionage as a GRU Agent.

Pavel Rubtsov: Russian-Spanish Journalist arrested by the Poles on February 27, 2022 as a a Russian Spy and GRU Agent.

Roman Seleznev: Russian Computer Hacker indicted in the United States in 2011, and was convicted of hacking into servers to steal credit-card data. His activities are estimated to have caused more than US $169 Million in damages to Businesses and Financial Institutions.

Vladislav Klyushin: Russian Businessman and Founder and CEO of M-13, a Russian Company that offers Media Monitoring and Cybersecurity Services. Convicted in the US of Conspiracy, Wire Fraud and Securities Fraud on February 14, 2023

Vadim Konoshchenock: Smuggler who illegally supplied American High-Tech equipment to Russian Government Agencies as an FSB Colonel.

Vadim Krasikov: Russian Entrepreneur convicted in the United States of Insider Trading.

Note: Marc Fogel, Gordon Black and Ksenia Karelina were not part of this Prisoner Exchange and remain in Russian Jails.