'Spy' Freed From Russian Prison, Heads Home
M O S C O W, Dec. 14 -- He’s on his way home. After eight months in a Russian prison, an American businessman sentenced to 20 years in jail on espionage charges has been released and is headed for the U.S.
Speaking on Russian television, Edmond Pope’s lawyer today confirmed the Pennsylvania businessman and former U.S. Navy officer had left Moscow after receiving a pardon from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Pope was released from Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, taken straight to the airport and flown to Frankfurt, Germany, said his lawyer Pavel Astakhov. He is expected to undergo a medical evaluation in Germany before continuing on to the U.S.
Pope suffers from a rare bone cancer that was in remission, but his family fears may have returned.
A presidential spokesman said Putin pardoned Pope on humanitarian grounds and to preserve good relations with Washington. The pardon cited “the health condition of the convict and his personal appeal, and also ... the high level of tiesbetween the Russian Federation and the United States of America.”
Putin, who arrived in Cuba late Wednesday for a visit to the former communist ally, indicated last week he would release Pope. Today was the first day Putin could pardon Pope under Russian law.
Clinton Thanks Putin
The U.S. welcomed the pardon, which removed a considerable irritant in ties just as it became clear that Republican George W. Bush would be the next U.S. president.
President Bill Clinton, on a visit to Britain, thanked Putin for releasing Pope while insisting that Pope’s ordeal was unjustified.
“I welcome today’s release of Edmond Pope after eight months of detention in Russia and appreciate President Putin’s decision to pardon Mr Pope,” Clinton said in a written statement.
Pope’s imprisonment and conviction last week on charges ofobtaining plans for a top-secret Russian Navy torpedo prompted adiplomatic confrontation between Washington and Moscow.
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