Prisoner exchange: Scholz speaks of “right decision”

After the historic prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus and several Western countries, Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed 13 released prisoners to Germany. “That was very moving,” he said afterwards at Cologne/Bonn Airport. “Many feared for their health and also for their lives, that must be said very clearly and that is why it is important that we have now made this protection possible for them here.”

In the unprecedented operation involving the Turkish secret service MIT, a total of 26 prisoners were exchanged. In return for the release of political prisoners and Kremlin critics, Germany, the USA and partner countries released a convicted murderer and prisoners suspected of espionage from Russia. For example, Germany handed over Vadim K., the so-called Tiergarten murderer, during the handover at the airport in the Turkish capital Ankara. Russia released, among others, the Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich, who had been convicted of espionage, as well as prominent opposition figures such as Vladimir Kara-Mursa and Ilya Yashin.

Warm welcome by Putin in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin also personally received the Russians released by the West. The Kremlin chief hugged at least one of the men on the tarmac, where the presidential guard was lined up. “You are at home, you are in your homeland,” Putin said, greeting the released men and announcing that they would be nominated for state awards.

In the USA, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris plan to receive Gershkovich as well as their compatriots Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, who have been released from prison, late Thursday evening (local time) at a military airport near Washington. According to the White House, the three are expected to arrive at 5:30 a.m. (CEST).

Criticism of the release of the Tiergarten murderer

Despite all the joy over the release of the political prisoners, the release of the “Tiergarten murderer” Wadim K. in particular left a bitter aftertaste. “Not even five years after the murder,” the murderer commissioned by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is free again, the relatives of the murder victim living in Germany said on Thursday evening, according to their lawyer Inga Schulz.

The release of the Russian Vadim Krasikov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany, was “devastating news for us, the relatives,” the statement continued. “On the one hand, we are happy that someone’s life was saved. At the same time, we are very disappointed that there seems to be no law in the world, even in countries where the law is the highest authority.”

Krasikow was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany at the end of 2021. According to the Berlin Regional Court, he had shot and killed a Georgian of Chechen origin in the Kleiner Tiergarten in the capital in August 2019. The court considered it proven that Krasikow had committed the murder on behalf of Russian state authorities.

Scholz speaks of “right decision”

“Nobody took this decision lightly to deport a murderer sentenced to life imprisonment after only a few years in prison,” said Scholz. The difficult decision was made jointly by the coalition after careful consultation and consideration, the opposition leader – Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) – was informed early on and, by his own admission, agreed.

After meeting with the released prisoners, Scholz described the exchange as the right decision. “And if you had any doubts, you lose them after talking to those who are now free.”

SPD foreign policy expert Michael Roth wrote on X that sometimes one has to “make a deal with the devil for reasons of humanity.” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann admitted that painful concessions had to be made for the prisoners’ freedom. With regard to the deportation of the convicted murderer Wadim K., he said: “As Justice Minister, I am responsible for a particularly bitter concession.”

The human rights organization Amnesty International welcomed the prisoner exchange, but warned of the consequences of such deals. “The Russian government could feel encouraged to carry out further political arrests and human rights violations without having to fear consequences,” said Deputy Secretary General in Germany, Christian Mihr.

Among the German citizens who were released was Rico K., who was initially sentenced to death in Belarus and later pardoned. Patrick S., who according to authorities was arrested at the airport in Saint Petersburg because he had cannabis gummy bears in his luggage, was also handed over to Germany.