Feygin looking for prospects for Sushchenko exchange

Russian lawyer Mark Feygin has arrived in Kyiv to examine prospects for possible exchange of Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was illegally arrested in Moscow on “espionage” charges.

Feygin said this on the air of 112 Ukraine TV channel on Monday, Ukrinform news agency reports.

“I have already met with some people, I’ve had some meetings in the Parliament… Tomorrow I will also discuss this issue in the Foreign Ministry. However, in principle, I have already said that I see no other way except for exchange. I do not want to cheat and say that he will be acquitted or the case will be simply dismissed for lack of elements of crime or any other reason provided for in the Code of Criminal Procedure. This will not happen,” he said, answering a reporter’s question about prospects for Sushchenko’s exchange.

According to Feygin, the charges of espionage, which were brought against Sushchenko in Russia, are a very serious and “will not be simply lifted.”

At the same, lawyer stressed he had the impression that the Russian side expected to end this situation by exchanging Sushchenko for a Russian citizen convicted in Ukraine.

Feygin also added that he did not know whom Ukraine could exchange Sushchenko for. At the same time, the Russian lawyer hopes that during the talks with Ukrainian officials he’ll manage to find out whether there are such candidates in Ukraine, for example, “Russian intelligence officers, they could be non-public at all, or they may be in Donbas.”

“However, of course, it is important to have public figure with clear past. Recall the situation with Yerofeyev and Alexandrov. We’ve had no other people who could be easily described as ‘Russian servicemen’. They were deliberately made public figures to quickly exchange them for Savchenko,” he explained.

As reported, Ukrinform Ukrainian national news agency correspondent in France Roman Sushchenko was arrested in Moscow on September 30, where he was on a private visit. He was accused of espionage, allegedly being a member of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate denied allegations of Russian Federal Security Service.

The court ruled at its closed hearing on October 1 to arrest the journalist for two months – until November 30. Sushchenko was denied a basic right – to see a lawyer and Ukrainian consul, which is contrary to international standards and bilateral agreements between Ukraine and Russia.

October 7, the Russian Federation officially charged the Ukrainian journalist with spying. Sushchenko denies any guilt.

Ukrainian non-governmental organizations believe that the arrest of Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko in Moscow should be regarded as an attack on freedom of expression and call on the Ukrainian government and the international community to protect the Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia and the occupied Crimea.

The lawyers of Sushchenko call on Russian and international human rights organizations to recognize the journalist as a political prisoner.