Organizations that defend the rights of independent journalists around the world welcomed the biggest U.S.-Russia prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, but called on the Kremlin to stop its blatant hostage diplomacy.
What's new: Reporters Without Borders said it is "hugely relieved" at the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva – two of the 24 people who were freed in a complex deal negotiated at the highest levels among seven countries on Thursday – and "condemns the Kremlin’s arbitrary detention of these journalists, which amounts to state hostage-taking."
What's next: "Journalists are not targets and must not be used as political pawns in this way. The international community must make clear to the Russian government that their outrageous practice of state hostage-taking will not be tolerated," said Rebecca Vincent, the organization's campaigns director. "We continue to advocate for the release of the more than 40 other journalists who remain detained in Russia in connection with their work."
What's important: Russian courts had sentenced the two journalists on false charges just weeks earlier, part of Moscow's crackdown on independent journalists since its illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022. Gershkovich, who was arrested in March 2023, had been sentenced to 16 years of prison. Kurmasheva, who was arrested in Oct. 2023, had been sentenced to six-and-a-half-years of prison.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly arrested foreigners in Russia on false charges for use as bargaining chips – part of his defiance of the international rules-based order that extends to assassinations of political opponents and invasions of Georgia and Ukraine.
Who's involved: The United States and Russia prisoner swap, which also included former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza, required significant concessions by America's European allies, including Germany's release of a Russian assassin, Vadim Krasikov.
What's happening now: The Committee to Protect Journalists says the reporters' release "is welcome – but it does not change the fact that Russia continues to suppress a free press. Moscow needs to release all jailed journalists and end its campaign of using in absentia arrest warrants and sentences against exiled Russian journalists.”
