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Freed Russian political prisoner: “I consider this exchange to be an expulsion from Russia against my will”

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Freed Russian political prisoner: “I consider this exchange to be an expulsion from Russia against my will”

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Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov and Vladimir Kara-Murza at a news conference in Bonn the day after the U.S. and Russia exchanged hostages. Photo: AP
Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov and Vladimir Kara-Murza at a news conference in Bonn the day after the U.S. and Russia exchanged hostages. Photo: AP

Exchanges face a dilemma because “Encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to take more hostages“, he told a news conference in Bonn Ilya JasinHe had previously served a prison sentence in Russia for criticizing the war in Ukraine.

I consider this incident to be my expulsion from Russia against my will.,” he continued, adding that it was difficult to realize that “He is at large because he is a murderer at largeJahin has said several times in the past that he did not want to be part of the exchange, saying opposition politicians’ voices were stronger inside Russia than outside it.



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During the news conference, he also warned that Russia’s FSB secret service had hinted that it would kill him if he continued his radical activities. Despite this, he pledged to continue working to help those who remain in Russia, according to French news agency AFP.

return Vladimir Kara-MurzaThe Russian, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence, said he did not agree to the swap and did not sign the petition for a pardon.It is expressly forbidden to deport Russian citizens from Russia without their consent. No one asked for our consent, but we came anyway,” he stressed.

He estimated that the agreement between Russia and the West had saved 16 lives. Before his release, he was convinced he would die in prison.I don’t believe I’ll ever see my family again“He said, but still emphasized that this exchange was “It’s just a drop in the ocean because there are many innocent people being held in Russia.”.

He added that he wanted toRemind people in democracies that Russia and Putin are not the sameBut he also called for sanctions on Russia to be more precisely targeted at the government, rather than ordinary Russians. Andrei Pivovarov At the same time, he added, he hopes to dispel the Kremlin-mongered myth that Russians are hated in the West.


Kara-Murza, Pivovarov, Jasin. Photo: AP
Kara-Murza, Pivovarov, Jasin. Photo: AP

Dissidents also pay tribute to Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

Navalny should also be on the plane

According to The Guardian, on Thursday evening, a group of aides of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny also gathered at Cologne Airport, where 13 released Russian prisoners arrived from Ankara. On the plane were three of Navalny’s colleagues, or more precisely his regional coordinators, who were imprisoned in Russia for “extremism.” Navalny was also supposed to be on the plane. According to The Guardian, the outline of the exchange agreement between the two countries was also drawn up with his consideration. Navalny was not released alive, he died in prison in Harp, northern Russia, in February.

Meanwhile, a group of independent experts appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council but who do not speak for the U.N., welcomed the prisoner swap in a joint statement Friday but warned that between 700 and 1,372 prisoners were being held on trumped-up or politically motivated charges.

The Russian government must immediately and unconditionally release all remaining political prisoners.They wrote a letter calling on Moscow to repeal legislation restricting free speech.



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