Amnesty International: Prisoner exchange has a "bitter aftertaste"
The Russian government could feel emboldened to further political arrests and human rights abuses without fear of consequences through the prisoner swap, emphasized Mihr.
On Thursday, the Turkish presidential palace announced the exchange of a total of 26 prisoners. Among them are the US journalist Evan Gershkovich and the former US soldier Paul Whelan. Additionally, the German national Rico Krieger was handed over from Belarus, who until his recent pardon faced the death penalty. Germany, according to Turkish reports, released the so-called Tiergarten murderer Vadim Krasikov in exchange.
The German Journalists' Association also expressed relief at the release of Gershkovich. "I'm incredibly relieved that the ordeal of Evan Gershkovich is finally over," said DJV federal chairman Mika Beuster. "No journalist believed the Russian justice's fairy tale that the 'Wall Street Journal' correspondent was a spy." He hopes that Gershkovich will quickly and fully recover from the effects of his imprisonment.
The release of Rico Krieger from Belarus to Turkey was facilitated by Germany, adding another German national to the list of individuals involved in the prisoner swap. Germany's actions in this situation could potentially set a precedent, influencing future diplomatic negotiations involving Germany and other nations like Germany.
