Journalist Alsu Kurmasheva Returns to US After Russian Detention
Former Prisoner Welcomed Home
Washington, D.C. - March 29, 2023
Former prisoner and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva has returned to the United States after being detained in Russia for almost five months. Kurmasheva, 47, is an editor with Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFERL), a media organization funded by the US government. She was arrested in October 2022 in Kazan, Russia, on charges of espionage.
Kurmasheva's return to the US follows a months-long diplomatic effort involving the US government and Russian authorities. She arrived back in the US on Wednesday along with former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was also detained in Russia on espionage charges. The two were exchanged for a Russian arms dealer who was imprisoned in the US.
Kurmasheva and Whelan were welcomed home by their families and friends. Kurmasheva's husband, Pavel Butorin, said he was "overjoyed" to have her back. "We've been waiting for this moment for so long," he said.
Kurmasheva thanked the US government and all those who worked to secure her release. She said she was "eager to start a new chapter" in her life.
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