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Russian ombudsperson discusses case of alleged agent Butina with US ambassador

The US ambassador assured us that all legal procedures concerning Butina will be transparent

Maria Butina EPA-EFE/Press Service of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

Maria Butina

© EPA-EFE/Press Service of Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Russian ombudsperson Tatiana Moskalkova has addressed the US officials with a request to change pre-trial restrictions used against Russian citizen Maria Butina, arrested in the US. She made the request during a meeting with US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman on Monday.

"I asked to change the pre-trial restrictions used against Maria Butina, to replace her detention with a bail or a house arrest. The US ambassador assured us that all legal procedures concerning Butina will be honest and transparent," Moskalkova told TASS after the meeting.

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According to her, they also discussed the observance of human rights of several Russian citizens who are currently serving time in US prisons, including a possibility for organizing her meeting with Konstantin Yaroshenko, serving a 20-year sentence, at a US prison. She said they also talked about pardoning or extraditing to Russia several Russian citizens.

"According to Konstantin Yaroshenko’s wife, his health condition is nearly critical," Moskalkova said, adding she worried over his security in custody bearing in mind recent reports that he has been transferred to another penitentiary due to security considerations. "I did not make out who was threating him and why, what is the security situation once he has been transferred to another prison in other state," she added.

She said the US ambassador asked questions about the justice situation in Russia’s North Caucasus. "I told him sincerely about the results of my year-long inspection," she noted.

The ombudsperson also said that the US ambassador expressed interest in visiting jailed Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, who is currently on hunger strike at a Russian correctional facility. "We showed a video of our conversation with Sentsov, which took place on July 20, and provided information about his health condition," the ombudsperson said, adding that the ambassador suggested possible steps be looked at to facilitate access for consulate employees to detained citizens. "He promised to prepare specific propositions on facilitating access for consulate employees for the next meeting, which he hopes will be held regularly," Moskalkova concluded.

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