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MARIA BUTINA'S CASE

Russia’s Maria Butina serving prison term in US signs release papers

Butina will be released from prison on October 25 at 08:00 local time

MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. Russian national Maria Butina, serving a prison term in the United States, has signed release papers and apparently will be set free on October 25, after which she will be deported to Russia, Butina’s official representative in Moscow Alexander Ionov told TASS.

"Last time she phoned me yesterday. She said she had signed release and deportation papers. The release papers were signed yesterday and deportation papers, a month ago. We are waiting for her," Ionov said.

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Butina’s deportation procedure to be announced after her release on Oct 25

He added that Butina would be released from prison on October 25 at 08:00 local time (13:00 Moscow time). Butina will be taken to a US city and sent back to Russia. Ionov did not rule out she might be deported from New York.

"She may be taken to New York, from where she is to fly to Russia. We have no idea how much time it will take. The US migration service is in charge. If all is well and no new charges are brought against her, we expect she will be able to fly home within three days’ time," Ionov added.

US lawyer Alexei Tarasov, who also defends two other jailed Russians, Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko and is familiar with US deportation rules, has said the air tickets for deportees are usually purchased by the US immigration service only to the first city in the country of destination. Tarasov believes that most likely it will be a direct flight from the United States to Russia. The deportees’ ID papers, according to the existing rules, are kept by the pilot in command, who hands them over to the law enforces of the country of destination.

Tarasov speculated that after deportation Butina may face US entry restrictions.

"Restrictions may be different, five or ten years. In the light of the offence committed there may be a ban for 20 years or for life," he remarked.

Butina was arrested in Washington on July 15, 2018 on the eve of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Helsinki. She was charged with conspiracy to act as a foreign agent in the United States. US special services argued that Butina had indulged in political lobbying without being registered at the Department of Justice. On April 26, Butina was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Moscow slammed the charges as a fake and demanded Butina’s release.

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