A historic act of determination and compassion: Families of American prisoners

The families of three Americans recently released from Russian custody They met on Thursday night at Joint Air Base Andrews outside Washington.

A landmark prisoner deal allowed the United States and its allies to secure the release of 16 political prisoners, including former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, American journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich, and permanent resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Vladimir Kara-Murza. Russia received eight people in return.

Earlier in the day, family members flanked President Joe Biden as he announced: “Today we’re bringing home Paul, Evan and also Vladimir.”

Kurmasheva is expected to be met by her husband, Pavel Butorin, and the couple’s daughters, Bibi and Miriam.

In a brief conversation with before leaving for Andrews Air Force Base, Butorin told the Voice of America“Today our daughters truly witnessed a historic act of determination and compassion, really, by the United States government and its allies.”

The mass exchange shows “that the free world values ​​human life and family more,” said Butorin, sporting a pin and friendship bracelet with the slogan “Free Alsou.”

On a nearby sofa, the couple’s daughters chatted happily, an air of excitement surrounding the family after months of ordeal.

The news of Kurmasheva and Gershkovich’s safe return was greeted with an outpouring of joy by their media and support groups.

The Wall Street Journal newsroom erupted in cheers and applause when editor-in-chief Emma Tucker announced that her Moscow correspondent was returning home. The sign on her New York building read: “Finally free.”

Gershkovich had spent more than 490 days in prison on trumped-up charges.

And the heads of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its networks Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty issued statements welcoming the safe return of RFE/RL editor Kurmasheva.

Biden spoke Thursday with the leaders of Turkey, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and Germany to thank them for their help during the complex negotiations.

Earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Alexey Navalny. Three of the late Russian opposition leader’s colleagues were among those released.

Harris later told reporters that those released had “shown incredible courage” and called their detention “an egregious perversion of justice.”

However, his presidential election opponent, former President Donald Trump, criticized the deal, telling Truth Social: “Our ‘negotiators’ are always an embarrassment to us!”

State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters: “While today is a good day, the work does not stop.”

Addressing Americans “who continue to be unjustly detained or held hostage around the world,” Patel said the administration “will continue to work tirelessly around the clock to do everything we can” to ensure they, too, return home.

Former US hostage and basketball player Brittney Griner welcomed the return of others who, like her, had been unjustly detained in Russia.

“Every day that Americans come home, it’s a victory,” Griner told Reuters after she and the U.S. team won against Belgium at the Olympics.

Griner spent 10 months in prison in Russia after she was caught with marijuana prescribed by a doctor. She pleaded guilty to charges of possession and smuggling illegal drugs, but insisted she had made an “honest mistake.”

In her case, she was released in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Griner said newly released Americans will have access to a strong support system upon their return to the United States.

“They have an amazing group of people who are going to help them and their families with whatever they need,” she said. “I’m glad I was able to go through that program and get reacclimated to everyday life.”

As US and German leaders greeted their returning residents, President Vladimir Putin was filmed welcoming the Russians exchanged for the 16 political prisoners.

Analysts say the Russian leader will use the deal as part of his propaganda.

Sergei Davidis is the head of the Political Prisoners Support Program and a board member of the Russian human rights group Memorial.

Memorial co-chairman Oleg Orlov was among the political prisoners released on Thursday.

Davidis told VOA that the exchange will be used by Putin.

“Their propaganda will later present him as a ‘gift’ to the people from the authorities,” Davidis added, adding that Putin “is not accountable to anyone.”

Media watchdogs, which have long advocated for the journalists’ release, welcomed their safe return.

“We look forward to once again reading and hearing the stories each of these journalists brings to light,” Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said in a statement.

Rebecca Vincent of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said neither Kurmasheva nor Gershkovich “should have spent a single day in a Russian prison for doing their job.”

“We stress that journalists are not objective and should not be used as political pawns in this way,” he added.

Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists said that while the release was welcome, “it doesn’t change the fact that Russia continues to suppress the free press.”

“Moscow needs to release all jailed journalists and end its campaign of using arrest warrants and absentee sentences against exiled Russian journalists,” it said in a statement.

In recent months, Russia has issued dozens of arrest warrants and sentenced in absentia journalists in exile or who report critically on the Kremlin and the war in Ukraine.

[Olga Pavlova colaboró con este informe]

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