International deal: Government: Release of Wadim K. “not made easy”

The German government has defended the release of the so-called Tiergarten murderer Wadim K. to Russia. “The German government did not take this decision lightly,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin. “The state’s interest in enforcing the prison sentence of a convicted criminal was offset by the freedom, physical well-being and – in some cases – ultimately the lives of innocent people imprisoned in Russia and those wrongfully imprisoned for political reasons.” Solidarity with the USA was also a motive – as was the obligation to protect German citizens.

Ultimately, in close cooperation with the USA and European partners, the release of 15 people who had been unlawfully imprisoned in Russia was achieved. In addition, there was the German Rico K., who was pardoned after a death sentence in Belarus. “The release was only possible because Russian nationals with a secret service background who were imprisoned in Europe were deported and transferred to Russia,” explained Hebestreit. Among them was Wadim K., known as the Tiergarten murderer, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany. He had killed a Georgian in a park in Berlin who had sought protection in Germany.

The German government called on the Russian and Belarusian leadership to release all those unjustly imprisoned for political reasons. The exchange had been expected for some time – Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin had recently repeatedly declared his willingness to do so. Putin has been criticized for using political prisoners as hostages to force the release of Russians from Western prisons.