- No contact with Kremlin opponents - prisoner exchange?
According to reports, numerous political prisoners in Russia have been moved, and now, lawyers say, contact has been lost with the most famous imprisoned opposition figure, Vladimir Kara-Mursa. His lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov, said on Facebook that he has not been allowed to visit Kara-Mursa at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk for the second day in a row. Kara-Mursa's whereabouts are unknown.
Prokhorov criticized this as a clear violation of Russian law. He also noted that a special government plane, a Tu-214, took off from Omsk in the afternoon, bound for Moscow. It's unclear if Kara-Mursa is on board. The 42-year-old, who is in poor health after being poisoned, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Could the "Tiergarten Murderer" be released?
There have been days of speculation about a possible prisoner exchange, including several Kremlin critics. Russia is reportedly seeking the release of the so-called "Tiergarten Murderer" who is imprisoned in Germany.
Kara-Mursa was supposed to participate in a court hearing via video link on Thursday in a lawsuit against the prison administration, Prokhorov said. However, the court said it's unlikely he will be present. They haven't confirmed a transfer.
All the prisoners are opponents of Russia's war against Ukraine and received long sentences. The West has criticized these verdicts as politically motivated and called for the prisoners' release.
Putin open to exchange
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is criticized for using political prisoners as bargaining chips to free Russians from Western jails, has repeatedly expressed willingness to negotiate an exchange. The U.S., for example, wants to secure the release of its citizens, Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, who are convicted of spying.
Putin has a particular interest in the Russian national, Vadim K., who is imprisoned in Germany for the murder of an exile Chechen in Berlin's Tiergarten. K. is suspected of acting on orders from Russian state authorities.
On Tuesday, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko commuted the death sentence of the German, Rico K. There had been speculation that the German could be exchanged for the "Tiergarten Murderer".
The following statement was made by Kara-Mursa's lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov: "I have not been allowed to visit Kara-Mursa at the hospital in Omsk for the second day in a row." In light of these circumstances, it was proposed that: "The following shall be added: a visit by an independent medical professional to assess Kara-Mursa's health and well-being."
