Three US citizens and one US permanent resident are among 16 political prisoners released from Russian prisons in a major prisoner swap between the United States and Russia on Thursday.
Among the released prisoners are Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovic, former US Marine Paul Whelan, Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza.
This exchange is being described as historic as it is the largest of its kind between Washington and Moscow since the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The exchange was made possible through an agreement between a number of other countries and after years of secret negotiations, carried out behind the scenes despite strained relations between the US and Russia, due to aggression in Ukraine.
It is the first time that such a prisoner exchange agreement also includes major concessions from other countries, namely seven countries that agreed to release 24 prisoners.
US President Joe Biden, accompanied by the families of American prisoners at the White House, thanked allies who stood by the United States, as he said, “throughout the difficult and complicated negotiations to reach this result.” Mr. Biden singled out Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey.
“This is a powerful example of why it is vital to have friends in this world who you can trust and rely on. Our alliances make Americans safer.” he added.
He said that within a few hours the American citizens will return to the United States.
The exchange of prisoners took place in Turkey. President Biden and the families of the American prisoners spoke to them by phone from the Oval Office in the White House.
Besides these, 12 other prisoners, 5 Germans and 7 Russians, were released from Russia. They were exchanged for eight individuals who were serving prison terms in the United States, Germany, Poland, Norway and Slovenia, who were returned to Russia.
President Biden said the deal that secured their release “was the result of diplomacy” and said that among those freed “are women and men who have been unjustly held for years.”
“All of them have gone through unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today their agony came to an end,” President Biden declared.
He further said that he will continue the commitment “until every American who is wrongfully arrested, or held hostage in the world is reunited with his family.”
President Biden said his administration has so far secured the return of more than 70 such Americans.
“Today, we are celebrating the return of Paul, Evan, Alsus and Vladimir and sharing in the joy of their families,” he declared. “We remember all those who are being held unjustly… and we confirm to their families our pledge: We see you. We are with you and we will not stop working to bring your loved ones home, where they belong”.
Reactions to the release of journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were both jailed in 2023 and sentenced in separate trials on July 19, which were widely condemned as rigged trials.
Paul Becket, deputy editor at the Wall Street Journal who led the newspaper's campaign to secure Mr. Gershkovich's release, told VOA on Thursday that the news of the release had stirred up a range of emotions for him.
“Joy, gratitude, tears, laughter, all together”it is. “We are very happy for Evan.”
After working on Mr. Gershkovich's case for 16 months, Mr. Becket said he was looking forward to meeting the reporter for the first time. “I'll tell him, I'm glad to meet you”, it is.
Mr. Gershkovich was jailed in March 2023 on espionage charges that were widely described as baseless and politically motivated.
“We are relieved and happy for Evan and his family, as well as the others who were released,” Almar Latour, publisher of the Wall Street Journal, and Emma Tucker, the paper's editor-in-chief, said in a statement. “Unfortunately, many journalists remain unjustly imprisoned in Russia and around the world.”
Alsu Kurmasheva is an editor at the Tatar Service of Voice of America's sister radio station, Radio Free Europe. She has American-Russian nationality and traveled to Russia in May 2023 to care for her ailing mother.
When she tried to leave in January 2023, authorities confiscated her passports. She was waiting for her passports to be returned when she was arrested about four months later.
The US State Department had not declared that she was being held illegally. A senior administration official told VOA that Ms. Kurmansheva nevertheless became part of the negotiations shortly after her arrest and that the United States is glad to have her back home.
Through a statement, Radio Free Europe welcomed Ms. Kurmasheva's release.
“Alsuja was targeted because she was an American journalist who was simply trying to take care of a family member inside Russia. She did nothing wrong and did not deserve the unfair treatment and forced separation from her loving family and colleagues.” Stephen Capus, president of Radio Free Europe, said in a statement.
“The release of Alsu makes us even more determined to ensure the freedom of the other three journalists of Radio Free Europe“, Mr. Capus added. Two Radio Free Europe journalists are currently imprisoned in Belarus and one in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which monitors Free Europe and VOA, welcomed Ms. Kurmasheva's release.
“It is incredible news and I express my deep gratitude to everyone who supported and called for Alu's release. Journalism is not a crime. I am very happy that finally Alsuja will be able to return home to her loved ones and close this painful chapter”. said USAGM Chief Executive Amanda Bennett.
The journalist's husband, Pavel Butorin, said that since her arrest, his main concern had been their daughters.
Although news of the prisoner swap was met with excitement, it will also raise concerns. While Russia is freeing journalists, dissidents and others convicted through its politicized justice system, the individuals who are released in exchange for them are considered by the West to be justly convicted.
The Russian side received in exchange Vadim Krasikov, convicted in Germany in 2021 for killing a former Chechen insurgent in a park in Berlin, in broad daylight and just minutes from the German parliament and the office of then German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with likely on the orders of the Russian intelligence service.
The German government said on Thursday that the release of the assassin Krasikov was not an easy decision.
“Our obligation to protect German citizens and solidarity with the US were important motives,” stated the German government.
Among the freed Russians were two suspected agents who were arrested in Slovenia, as well as three others convicted by the US authorities for illegal activities.
President Biden has made the release of wrongfully detained American citizens a priority in the last six months of his term.
Thursday's exchange preceded speculation in recent weeks, including about the speedy trial and sentencing of two American journalists. Likewise, during the last few days, several other figures arrested in Russia because of their public opposition to the war in Ukraine or because of their cooperation with the now deceased Russian dissident Alexey Navalny were transferred to unknown locations.
