estonia: Over the past few years, Russia has been selectively imprisoning American citizens on various charges, including espionage. Due to this, the number of American citizens in Russian jails is increasing. Russia has recently jailed some American citizens including a journalist, a corporate security officer and some other citizens. Incidents of arrests of Americans have become common in Russia. Relations between Moscow and Washington have reached their lowest level since the Cold War. Washington has accused Moscow of targeting its citizens and using them as political bargaining tools, but Russian officials say all of them broke the law.
Some citizens have been released in exchange for the release of Russian citizens imprisoned in America, while the picture of others being released in exchange is not yet clear. “Moscow itself has cut off most of the communications channels and does not know how to properly restore them without getting into an uncomfortable situation,” said former Russian diplomat Boris Bandarev. So it looks like they are trying to use hostages.” Bondarev stepped down after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Friday marks one year since the arrest of 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gershkovich. He is lodged in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison on espionage charges.
Gershkovich was detained while reporting
Gershkovich was detained while on a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, a city in the Ural mountain range, and accused of spying for the United States. Russian officials have not provided any details of the allegations or evidence. American citizen Paul Whelan is also under arrest on charges of espionage. He hails from Michigan and is a corporate security officer. He was arrested in Russia in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison two years later. According to Whelan, he had gone to Moscow to attend a friend’s wedding. He claimed his innocence and said that the allegations against him had been fabricated.
America is protesting against putting its citizens in jail
The US government has also said that both Gershkovich and Whalen were wrongfully imprisoned and is advocating for their release. In addition, musician Travis Leak, who has lived in Russia for many years, was arrested last year on drug-related charges; Mark Fogel, a teacher in Moscow, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on drug-related charges and having dual citizenship. Vali A. Kurumasheva and Ksenia Khavana were also arrested. (AP)
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