Four journalists namely–Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Pablo González were freed on 1 August 2024 in the framework of a prisoner exchange between the United States, Russia and other countries in Europe, said the International Federations of Journalists (IFJ).
The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) welcome the release of imprisoned journalists, condemn Russia’s hostage-taking tactics involving journalists for political ends, and call on Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey to free the 137 other journalists currently behind bars in Europe.
The major prisoners deal involved two US journalists, Alsu Kurmasheva and Evan Gershkovich, and a Russian dissident journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who arrived at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, in the US late on 1 August and were welcomed by the US President, Joe Biden, IFJ stated in its news report.
For its part, Russia secured the release of Spanish journalist Pablo González, who had spent two and a half years in a Polish prison, accused of spying for Moscow, without any allegations against him being made public. Russian president Vladimir Putin welcomed González in a ceremony at Moscow airport.
The IFJ joins the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) in calling on Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Turkey to free the 137 other journalists currently behind bars in Europe.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We are truly relieved by the release of our colleagues after months, and in some cases years, in detention, during which the IFJ has been campaigning for their freedom. At the same time, we strongly condemn the Kremlin’s hostage-taking tactics involving journalists for political ends. Journalism is not a crime and journalists must be allowed to do their job without fear of repression”.
“This exchange not only gives freedom to those who were wrongly imprisoned or who were languishing in prison awaiting a fair trial. It also highlights the success of diplomatic negotiations that contribute to respect for human rights,” said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutiérrez.
“North America’s journalists are thrilled that Evan, Alsu and others are being released. Journalism is not a crime. Russia’s actions to arrest, detail and sentence Evan were a disgrace. The NewsGuild-CWA will always stand with journalists and continue to fight for press freedom,” stated Jon Schleuss, The NewsGuild-CWA president
The president of the Federation of Spanish Journalists’ Associations (FAPE), Miguel Angel Noceda, expressed “the enormous satisfaction of FAPE (…), since Pablo Gonzalez’s personal situation was clearly inhuman, with long periods of family isolation and prison solitary confinement. There was no charge against him and no trial date, which is intolerable in an European Union member state”.
“We, in the FeSP, welcome the release of Pablo Gonzalez because, without going into whether he is innocent or guilty of any crime, the inhuman conditions in which he has been imprisoned for 29 months should not be tolerated in a country that is part of the European Union,” said FeSP General Secretary, Agustín Yanel.
