Mikhail Trepashkin released

Political prisoner Mikhail Trepashkin has been released from No. 13 Penal Colony in Nizhny Tagil.

Beyond this, reports are varying wildly so we will stay with what appears undisputed.  This is Trepashkin’s wish to return to his wife and four children as soon as possible. He was held very far from Moscow and his children have been without their father for a very long time.

He is also planning to appeal against the original charge of divulging State secrets and against the administration of the penal colony where he was transferred supposedly for “violations of the regime”. 

Interfax reports him as saying that in future he will work defending prisoners’ rights. 

We have repeated the details of this outrageous case many times here (see the links below).  At this moment, therefore, we can only wish Mikhail Trepashkin a happy homecoming.  We will, of course, follow all attempts to clearly and unequivocally assess the injustice done him.

Halya Coynash