prisoner swap

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Putin: I'd Just Agreed to Prisoner Swap When Navalny Died

It's the Russian president's first mention of opposition leader since his death

(Newser) - On Sunday, the same day preliminary election results in Russia made it clear he'd win the country's presidency again, Vladimir Putin made a reveal regarding the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. It came during an exchange with an NBC News reporter during an appearance in Moscow after the...

Russia, Ukraine Swap POWs in Biggest Release So Far

Deal brokered by UAE comes as Ukraine steps up strikes against Russian side of the border

(Newser) - Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release of captives since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian authorities said that 230 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home in the first exchange in almost five months. Russia's Defense Ministry said that...

Venezuela Hands Over 'Fat Leonard' in Prisoner Swap

Former defense contractor is central figure in massive Pentagon bribery scandal

(Newser) - This file is updated throughout with new details. The US freed a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in the South American country and the extradition of a fugitive defense contractor known as "Fat Leonard," who is at...

Trump Has Thoughts on Iran Prisoner Swap

Former president blasts 'absolutely ridiculous' deal as 5 freed Americans arrive home

(Newser) - Americans detained for years in Iran arrived home Tuesday after being freed as part of a politically risky deal that saw President Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets, per the AP . The prisoners landed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with clapping and cheers heard...

Iran Says Prisoner Swap Is Expected to Happen Monday
Five Americans Freed
by Iran in Prisoner Swap
UPDATED
Sep 18, 2023 8:24 AM CDT

Five Americans Freed by Iran in Prisoner Swap

Five Iranians freed in exchange, and $6B in Iranian funds are unfrozen

(Newser) - Five Americans held by Iran have been freed in a prisoner swap, reports the AP . A plane with all five aboard left Tehran on Monday. Three of the Americans have previously been named, and the remaining two wished to keep their identities private. Some have been held since at least...

US Frees Up $6B in Frozen Iran Funds in Prisoner Swap Deal

Arrangement advances to free 5 Iranian prisoners in US in exchange for 5 American prisoners in Iran

(Newser) - Five American citizens detained in Iran are now set to be released, after the Biden administration agreed to release five Iranian citizens held in the United States. Per the AP , the next step in the deal also included the US issuing a waiver to banks around the world to allow...

One of Putin's Assassins May Be Key in Prisoner Swap

'Wall Street Journal' explores the world of jailed hit man Vadim Krasikov

(Newser) - Somewhere in Germany, a Russian by the name of Vadim Krasikov is serving out his life sentence for the brazen execution of a man in a Berlin park crowded with families in 2019. As the Wall Street Journal reports, after Krasikov calmly shot his victim multiple times, he bicycled away,...

Ukraine, Russia Make Easter Prisoner Swap

Adviser to Zelensky says more than 100 troops, others were headed home

(Newser) - More than 100 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released as part of a major Easter exchange with Russia, a top official said Sunday, as Orthodox Ukrainians marked the holiday for a second time since Moscow unleashed its full-scale war more than a year ago. While celebrations were subdued because...

Here's What Russia Wanted in Exchange for Whelan

Officials pushed for release of Vadim Krasikov, detained in Germany: CNN

(Newser) - The family of Paul Whelan is holding out hope that "the third time is the charm." Referencing the releases this year of other Russian detainees Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner, the family said Monday it has faith that freeing Whelan remains a top priority for the Biden administration....

Brittney Griner Lands in Texas
Brittney Griner
Lands in Texas
Dec 9, 2022 5:56 AM CST

Brittney Griner Lands in Texas

She'll meet wife, undergo checks at Brooke Army Medical Center

(Newser) - Brittney Griner is back in the US. The WNBA star released from Russian custody as part of a prisoner swap was seen stepping off a plane that landed at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, around 5:30am Friday, CNN reports. That arrival followed the exchange in Abu Dhabi, mediated...

Release May Be a Reward for Viktor Bout Keeping 'His Cool'

Arms dealer gave US no information, and his release could be his reward, analysts say

(Newser) - Russia had made clear that the release of arms dealer Viktor Bout was important to the government. In July, his US lawyer decreed that "no Americans will be exchanged unless Viktor Bout is sent home." It's not entirely clear why his release—achieved Thursday in a deal...

Brittney Griner Freed by Russia, but at a 'Heavy Price'

CBS News reports she was exchanged for arms dealer Viktor Bout

(Newser) - Brittney Griner has been freed in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout, CBS News reports by way of a US official. The network reports the prisoner exchange happened Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, the culmination of a deal reportedly reached a week ago and given...

Russia Says Inmate Swap Has Become More Likely

A day after Griner is put in a penal colony, diplomat expresses confidence about getting arms dealer back

(Newser) - A Russian official said Friday that the likelihood of a prisoner exchange with the US has improved, a day after his government imprisoned American athlete Brittney Griner in a penal colony. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia wants a trade that would have the US return arms trafficker Viktor...

US, Venezuela Swap Detainees
Venezuela Frees 7 Americans
Oct 1, 2022 4:55 PM CDT

Venezuela Frees 7 Americans

Biden releases drug convicts in exchange for US detainees

(Newser) - Seven Americans who were detained in Venezuela are coming home after a prisoner swap in exchange for two imprisoned members of President Nicolas Maduro's family, President Biden announced Saturday. The decision to grant clemency to the two Venezuelans, who are nephews of Maduro's wife, was made by Biden,...

Brittney Griner to Learn Her Fate Within Hours

Russian prosecutors request 9.5-year sentence for WNBA star

(Newser) - Brittney Griner is expected to learn her fate in her drug smuggling case within hours, and Russian prosecutors have made clear they want it to be a harsh one. Prosecutors on Thursday asked a judge to sentence Griner to 9.5 years in prison, just shy of the 10-year maximum,...

This Is the Russian on Offer in Exchange for Britney Griner

Viktor Bout, former Soviet military translator, could pass on intelligence, says pundit

(Newser) - The imprisoned Russian arms dealer the Biden administration has reportedly offered to swap for Russian detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan is known here as the "Merchant of Death." Viktor Bout—who reportedly inspired Nicolas Cage's arms dealer character in 2005's Lord of War—is serving...

US Suggests Trade to Russia for Griner, Whelan

Blinken says he hopes to discuss the deal with Lavrov this week

(Newser) - The Biden administration has settled on a proposal for Russia, offering to trade an imprisoned Russian arms trafficker for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. President Biden has agreed to the exchange of detainees, which has been under discussion for months, despite the Justice Department's opposition to such deals, CNN...

Russia, US Complete Drawn-Out Prisoner Swap

Biden administration exchanges Konstantin Yaroshenko for Trevor Reed

(Newser) - The Biden administration has just seen its highest-profile release of an American deemed wrongly detained abroad—courtesy of Russia. Russia and the US carried out a dramatic prisoner exchange on Wednesday, trading a Marine veteran jailed in Moscow for a convicted Russian drug trafficker serving a long prison sentence in...

After 6 Years Detained in Iran, She's Back Home With Daughter, 7

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori are released

(Newser) - Update: After years in detention in Iran, two British-Iranian nationals are back in the UK. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released Wednesday and arrived home early Thursday, following months of negotiations between the UK and Iran, the BBC reports. In a photo shared by Ashoori's daughter, Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43,...

After 3 Years in Iran, 'Another American Is Coming Home'

Princeton grad student Xiyue Wang, 38, released as part of prisoner exchange

(Newser) - "Another American is coming home." That was the early Saturday tweet from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with good news for the family of Xiyue Wang, the Chinese American graduate student who's been held prisoner in Iran for more than three years. CNN and NBC News report...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>