2024-08-04 19:16:25
After the unprecedented exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West, the human rights organization “Amnesty International” (Amnesty International) calls on the German government to advocate for the release of other political prisoners from Moscow, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
“The German government must advocate for their release just as loudly and clearly,” the organization’s deputy secretary-general, Christian Mir, told Germany’s Deutschlandfunk radio in an interview published online last night.
According to human rights groups, there are about 700 political prisoners in Russian prisons, but some say there are even more than 1,000. “We must not forget them,” Mir added.
On Thursday, in an unprecedented prisoner swap, Russia and Belarus freed 16 people, including journalists, artists, dissidents and activists, some of whom had spent long periods in Russian prisons and detention centers. In return, 10 people were handed over to Moscow, including Vadim Krasikov, convicted of murder in Germany, among other agents, DPA noted.
“The exchange has a very bitter taste,” Mir said of the deal.
According to him, the Kremlin benefits not only directly from the release of its intelligence agents, but also indirectly, since Moscow can now assume that it will arrange the release of other Russian agents in exchange for foreigners imprisoned in Russia.
From Mir’s point of view, the visits of foreign citizens to Russia have become even more dangerous.
Amnesty International’s deputy secretary-general also called on the German government to ensure the safety of Russians living in exile. He stated that many times it was visible how the “long arm of Russian repression” reaches European countries, DPA notes.