Olaf Scholz defends prisoner swap amid criticism over killer release

After the historic prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz received 13 released prisoners. "It was very moving," he said late on Wednesday, 1 August, at Cologne/Bonn Airport, where the freed arrived. "Many feared for their health and even their lives, which must be clearly stated, and therefore it was important that we were able to provide them with this protection here," he added.

However, the joy of releasing the prisoners was overshadowed by the release of Vadim Krasikov, who was convicted in Germany in 2021 for the murder in Berlin of a Chechen-Georgian dissident. Krasikov acted on behalf of Russian special services. “No one took this decision lightly to deport a murderer convicted to life imprisonment after only a few years in prison,” said Olaf Scholz.

He explained that the coalition made this difficult decision jointly after long deliberation. Opposition leader and head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz was informed at an early stage and – as Scholz assured – agreed to this decision.

After meeting the freed prisoners, Scholz described the prisoner exchange as "the right decision." SPD foreign policy politician Michael Roth wrote on X that sometimes you have to "make a deal with the devil for the sake of humanity."

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann admitted that painful concessions had to be made for the prisoners' freedom. Referring to the deportation of convicted murderer Krasikov, Buschmann acknowledged that as Justice Minister, he is responsible for "the particularly bitter concession."

In an unprecedented operation involving Turkish special services, a total of 26 prisoners were exchanged. In return for the release of political prisoners and Kremlin critics, Germany, the USA, and partner countries released a convicted murderer from Berlin and prisoners suspected of spying for Russia. Germany handed over Krasikov at the airport in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Russia released, among others, "Wall Street Journal" correspondent Evan Gershkovich, who was convicted of espionage, as well as prominent oppositionists such as Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin.

Russia's ruler, Vladimir Putin, also personally welcomed the Russians freed by the West, greeting them on the airport tarmac. "I want to congratulate you on your return to your homeland," he said. He announced that they would be nominated for state awards.

In the USA, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed Gershkovich, along with Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, at a military airport near Washington, D.C.

The human rights organization Amnesty International welcomed the decision to exchange prisoners but warned against the consequences of such transactions. "The Russian government could feel emboldened to conduct further political arrests and human rights violations without fear of any consequences," said Christian Mihr, deputy secretary general of the organization in Germany.

Among the freed German citizens was Rico Krieger, who was initially sentenced to death in Belarus and then pardoned. Germany also received Patrick Schöbel, who, according to Russian authorities, was arrested at St. Petersburg airport for possessing cannabis gummies in his luggage.

In turn, Vadim Krasikov, handed over to Russia, had been serving a life sentence in Germany for killing a Georgian of Chechen origin in central Berlin, who was seeking asylum in Germany. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin publicly defended the murderer because – according to Russia – he eliminated a state enemy.

The premature end of the sentence for the Tiergarten murderer disappointed the victim's relatives. It was "devastating news" for relatives, they conveyed to the DPA news agency through their lawyer. "On the one hand, we are glad that someone's life was saved. At the same time, we are very disappointed that there seems to be no law in the world, even in countries where the law is the highest authority."