REL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva released in exchange for prisoners between Russia and the West

Radio Free Europe's president said journalist Alsu Kurmasheva will be released, amid reports of a massive exchange of prisoners between Russia and the West.

Kurmasevo, a Radio Free Europe journalist in Prague, was sentenced by a Russian court in July to six and a half years in prison.

We welcome the news of immediate release and are grateful to the American government and all those who worked without stopping to complete its unjust treatment by Russia”, Radio Free Europe President Stephen Cappus said.

“Alsu was targeted because he is an American journalist who was just trying to help members of her family inside Russia. She did nothing wrong and certainly did not merit unjust treatment and separation by force from her loved ones and colleagues”, he added.

Russia, the United States and other states on August 1st have launched a massive exchange of prisoners in what is expected to be the largest exchange of this kind since the end of the Cold War.

Bloomberg, Sky News, CNN, and other Western media, citing sources, reported that exchange is taking place on August 1st, as the whereabouts of some high profile political prisoners held in Russia were unknown, prompting speculation that they were getting ready for exchange.

It is still not clear who of the prisoners is involved in the exchange.

This news comes as nine Russian activists and an American citizen have unexpectedly moved from Russian prisons in recent days, as well as other Russians held in US prisons have disappeared from prison databases, prompting speculation that a large exchange of prisoners involving Russia, the United States and several other European countries may be in progress.

No government official in Washington, Moscow or elsewhere has commented on the possibility of an exchange; however, analysts on August 1st noted signs suggesting that what might be the greatest of its kind since the Cold War.

“I still have no comment on this” subject, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on August 1st, when asked by journalists on this subject.

Lawyers for some high profilers held in Russian prisons have said that their clients' whereabouts were unknown - a situation that often arises when prisoners move. Among them are opposition activists, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilija Yashin and others.

Olga Karlova, lawyer of the former American businessman Paul Whelan, said on July 31st that she does not know where her client is and that the authorities in the prison in the Mordovian region where he was imprisoned have ignored the demands to confirm whether he is in prison.

Whelan, who has been serving a 16-year prison sentence for spying that he and Washington deny, is one of more than 10 American citizens currently held in Russian prisons, charged or convicted of charges ranging from drug possession and theft to treason and spying.

No government official in Washington, Moscow or elsewhere has commented on the possibility of an exchange; however, analysts on August 1st noted signs suggesting that what might be the greatest of its kind since the Cold War.

“I still have no comment on this” subject, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on August 1st, when asked by journalists on this subject.

Lawyers for some high profilers held in Russian prisons have said that their clients' whereabouts were unknown - a situation that often arises when prisoners move. Among them are opposition activists, including Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilija Yashin and others.

Olga Karlova, lawyer of the former American businessman Paul Whelan, said on July 31st that she does not know where her client is and that the authorities in the prison in the Mordovian region where he was imprisoned have ignored the demands to confirm whether he is in prison.

Whelan, who has been serving a 16-year prison sentence for spying that he and Washington deny, is one of more than 10 American citizens currently held in Russian prisons, charged or convicted of charges ranging from drug possession and theft to treason and spying.

In many cases, charges against Americans, which include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and Radio Free Europe editor Alsu Kurmasheva, have been labeled by their employers or by the American government as invented or politically motivated.

Some of the sentences exceed what legal experts say would be normal.

We hope that all political prisoners are held unjustly, especially journalists like Alsu and Evan, will return to their loved ones. Journalism is not a crime”, REL President Stephen Capus said earlier during August 1st.

Three other Radio Europe journalists unjustly free behind bars two in Belarus and one in Russia-controlled Crime We tell you you are not forgotten. Radio Free Europe will do everything in its power to ensure your release and to rejoin your families”, he added.

Just hours after the disappearance of Whelan, Kara-Murzai defence attorney, a double-Russian citizen, was discovered, said he was not allowed to enter Omsk prison to see his client, who last year was sentenced to 25 years in prison for treason and other charges.

On August 1st, a group of Russian lawyers and human rights advocates known as Pervy Otdel posted a message on the telegram pointing to the trace of a plane's flight Antonov was previously involved in other prison exchanges.

“A plane An-148, which was allegedly used for the previous exchange of political prisoners, was established by Kaliningrad in Moscow on August 1st”, said Pervy Otdel.

The aircraft, with the number RA-61727, left later for Moscow, the group said, which “could indicate that the exchange of political prisoners occurred at the border with Poland”.

Data from the Flightdar24 flight tracking site confirmed the movement of the aircraft, while Russian media, Agentvo, reported that several Russian government special planes have travelled directly and from the regions where the dissidents are held.

Meanwhile, four Russians charged or imprisoned in the United States have disappeared from a database and prisoners operated by the US Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Among these four prisoners is Vladislav Klyushin, a TI entrepreneur linked to the Kremlin suffering a long-term sentence on charges of domestic trade, and Alexandr Winnik, who recently pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and has been free of charge.

The largest exchange of prisoners since the Cold War took place in 2010 and totaled 14 persons.

In that exchange, the United States released 10 Russians, including Anna Chapman.

Sergei Scripal, a Russian military intelligence officer convicted of spying on Britain, was among four people released from Moscow. / REL/