The sentence handed down to journalist Roman Sushchenko, who was convicted for 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony for espionage in Russia, provides an opportunity for exchanging him for RIA Novosti Ukraine editor-in-chief Kirill Vyshinsky, Sushchenko’s defender Mark Feygin said.
“Now, after the sentence was read, opportunities have been opened for exchanging Roman Sushchenko for journalist Vyshinsky, who is being prosecuted in Ukraine, and I believe it must be done immediately in order to resolve this issue by means of a compromise,” Feygin told reporters on Monday.
“As far as I know, Moscow actually wants to bring Vyshinsky back home, and the Ukrainian leadership has voiced the same wish regarding Roman Sushchenko,” the defender said.
However, Sushchenko’s exchange for Vyshinsky “depends on Moscow rather than Kyiv,” he said.
When asked whether the defense team would seek Sushchenko’s extradition to serve his sentence in Ukraine, Feygin told Interfax that “the [European] Convention on Extradition does not apply to this category of persons.”
“I believe, Roman Sushchenko will be swapped,” the defender said.
As reported, on Monday, the Moscow City Court sentenced Sushchenko to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony for espionage.
RIA Novosti Ukraine editor-in-chief Vyshinsky was detained in Kyiv on May 15. He was notified about being a treason suspect. On May 17, a court sanctioned his arrest until mid-July.
